Issue - meetings

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Sub Committee proceeded to consider the dispensation requests submitted by Mark Bostock, Susan Pearson, Jason Pritchard, Brian Mooney and Joyce Nash.  The Chairman drew the Sub-Committee’s attention to the agenda supplement which included the correct version of Mark Bostock’s dispensation request. The Sub-Committee also noted that with the exception of Joyce Nash, all of the above requests were previously considered by the Sub-Committee on 03.07.19.  However, all four applicants had resubmitted their requests. 

The Sub-Committee considered the merits of each application in turn and in respect of the applications from Mark Bostock, Susan Pearson, Jason Pritchard and Brian Mooney, the Sub-Committee considered the reasons given by the Sub-Committee when these four applications were previously considered on 03.07.19 Appendix 6 (pages 35-41).  The Sub-Committee referred to the statutory grounds for granting a dispensation (pages 11-12) and also had due regard to Appendix 3 (pages 21-22) of the dispensations policy - Factors to be taken into consideration.

Mark Bostock, Susan Pearson, Jason Pritchard, Brian Mooney

Members had mixed views on whether the Sub-Committee’s earlier decision in respect of the above four applicants should be followed. However, given the current review of the dispensations policy, Members were unanimous in their view that these applications should be deferred pending the outcome of the review and decisions taken by the Standards Committee at its meeting on 4th October 2019.

RESOLVED – That the applications from Mark Bostock, Susan Pearson, Jason Pritchard and Brian Mooney be deferred pending the outcome of the current review and decisions taken by the Standards Committee on 4th October 2019.  A meeting of the Sub-committee will then be convened at the earliest opportunity thereafter to consider these applications.

Joyce Nash

Details of dispensation sought

To speak and vote on matters relating to the expansion of the City of London School

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Sub Committee proceeded to consider the dispensation requests submitted by Mark Bostock, Susan Pearson, Jason Pritchard and Brian Mooney.

Mark Bostock

The Sub-Committee considered your application for a dispensation relating to a long lease of a flat and lease of a store in the Barbican residential estate.

Details of dispensation sought

To speak and vote for the remainder of your term of office (until March 2021) on any matter which affects your constituents and in which you may have a disclosable pecuniary interest, except for a matter which:

(a)   affects you uniquely or more than any of your constituents; and

(b)   insofar as regards a dispensation to vote only, falls within the restriction imposed by section 618 of the Housing Act 1985 for as long as that provision remains on the statute book.

Details of dispensations granted

The following dispensations were granted for the remainder of your current term of office (until March 2021):

(1)   To speak on general housing matters, as identified in the dispensations policy, and also car parking spaces and private storage spaces relating to the Barbican residential estate, insofar as those issues affect residents of the Barbican residential estate equally; and

(2)   To speak and vote on planning application (18/00335/LBC) at the Planning and Transportation Committee on 30 July 2019 and any subsequent meeting at which that application is considered; and

(3)   To speak and vote on the setting of council tax; and

(4)   To speak on licensing applications with the same rights as a member of the public, in accordance with the dispensations policy.

Reasons

Under the Localism Act 2011 the Sub-Committee may grant a dispensation only if, after having had regard to all relevant circumstances, it considers that one of the statutory grounds is satisfied.  The Sub-Committee considered that the terms of the

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Sub Committee proceeded to consider the dispensation requests submitted by Randall Anderson, Mark Bostock, Mary Durcan, Adrian Bastow, Deputy John Tomlinson, Barbara Newman and Deputy David Bradshaw for dispensations to speak (and for Mark Bostock also vote) until April 2020 on “all matters relating to the Barbican residential estate except any matter relating exclusively to [the appropriate Barbican block or portion thereof] (and not generally to the whole estate)”.

After discussion on all relevant matters, and having heard the comments of the Comptroller and City Solicitor on points raised during debate, it was

RESOLVED – That, on the dispensation requests received from Randall Anderson, Mark Bostock, Mary Durcan, Adrian Bastow, Deputy John Tomlinson, Barbara Newman and Deputy David Bradshaw for dispensations to speak (and for Mark Bostock also vote) until April 2020 on “all matters relating to the Barbican residential estate except any matter relating exclusively to [the appropriate Barbican block or portion thereof] (and not generally to the whole estate)”, the Sub Committee:-

(a)  grants dispensations to all applicants to speak until April 2020 on all “general housing matters” defined in paragraph 17 of the Standards Committee Policy and Guidance on Dispensations and as set out below, and also on the provision of parking spaces and private storage spaces separate from a dwelling, insofar as those issues affect residents of the Barbican residential estate equally. These dispensations are granted in the interests of persons living in the authority’s area.

General Housing Matters

·         Housing governance i.e. decision making, scrutiny and consultation arrangements together with any proposals for stock transfer.

·         General housing management i.e. arrangements for the proper management of the City Corporation’s housing stock and housing estates including management of common parts, estate amenities and community facilities, and commercial properties which are an integral part of housing estates, together