Declarations of interest

 Declarations of interest for agenda item 'S/0571/12/FL - Melbourn (Police Station Site, High Street)'

• Cllr Jose Hales - Disclosable Pecuniary Interest - as a member of Melbourn Parish Council, which would be a principal beneficiary of the planning application if approved. However, Councillor Hales informed the Committee that he had the benefit of a dispensation sought from and granted by South Cambridgeshire District Council’s Monitoring Officer on 31 July 2012 under the new standards regime. The terms of this dispensation, which was within the Monitoring Officer’s discretion, expressly allowed Councillor Jose Hales ‘to address the Committee. Councillor Hales was not a member of the Planning Committee and therefore did not have a vote. This impliedly meant that Councillor Hales was able to remain in the Chamber notwithstanding his declaration of a DPI. In any event the Monitoring Officer did not consider it likely that Councillor Hales had a disclosable pecuniary interest but rather a non-pecuniary interest due to his Parish Council association. The Monitoring Officer specifically consulted with the Council’s appointed Independent Person and with the Chairman of the Civic Affairs Committee when considering whether to grant the dispensation and also took into account the need to maintain public confidence, as well as the possible outcome of the vote.
• Cllr Val Barrett - Disclosable Pecuniary Interest - as a member of Melbourn Parish Council, which would be a principal beneficiary of the planning application if approved. However, Councillor Barrett informed the Committee that she had the benefit of a dispensation sought from and granted by South Cambridgeshire District Council’s Monitoring Officer on 31 July 2012 under the new standards regime. The terms of this dispensation, which was within the Monitoring Officer’s discretion, expressly allowed Councillor Val Barrett ‘to take part in the discussion of the matter, but not vote. This impliedly meant that Councillor Barrett was able to remain in the Chamber notwithstanding her declaration of a DPI. In any event the Monitoring Officer did not consider it likely that Councillor Barrett had a disclosable pecuniary interest but rather a non-pecuniary interest due to her Parish Council association. The Monitoring Officer specifically consulted with the Council’s appointed Independent Person and with the Chairman of the Civic Affairs Committee when considering whether to grant the dispensation and also took into account the need to maintain public confidence, as well as the possible outcome of the vote.