Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were submitted from Altham Parish Councillors Thomas Fearon, Anthony Hickson and Rennie Pinder and from Mrs. Patricia Higginbottom (Independent Person).

There were no declarations of interest.

To submit the Minutes of the meeting of the Standards Committee held on 30^th November 2016 for approval as a correct record.

Recommended                     -   That the Minutes be received and approved as a correct record.

The Minutes of the last meeting of the Standards Committee held on 30^th November 2016 were submitted for approval as a correct record.

Resolved                               -   That the Minutes be received and approved as a correct record.

To seek the granting of a dispensation to Hyndburn Borough Councillor Glen Harrison to speak and vote on the issues set out in Section 3 of the report.  A copy of the application signed by Councillor Harrison is appended to the report.

Recommended                     -   That Standards Committee considers the request from Councillor Glen Harrison to grant a dispensation to speak and vote on the issues set out in Section 3 of the report at an Extraordinary Meeting of the Communities and Wellbeing Oveview and Scrutiny Committee on 7^th February 2017, and any other meeting of that Committee or meeting of Council at which the same topic is on the agenda.

The Executive Director (Legal and Democratic Services) submitted a report seeking the grant of a dispensation to Hyndburn Borough Councillor Glen Harrison for a period of four years to enable him to speak and vote on the issues set out in Section 3 of the report at an Extra-ordinary meeting of the Communities and Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 7^th February 2017, and any other meeting of that Committee or meeting of Council, at which the same topic was on the agenda.  Councillor Harrison had applied for the dispensation and his request form was appended to the report.   As an employee of Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust (formally Calderstones Partnership NHS Trust), Councillor Harrison had a disclosable pecuniary interest in the matter which would prevent him from speaking, voting or being present when the item was discussed by the Communities and Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Committee or Council.            

Resolved                               -   That a dispensation to speak only and not vote, be granted to Councillor Glen Harrison to allow him to speak at a meeting of the Communities and Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 7^th February 2017 and any other meeting of that Committee or meeting of Council at which the topic of the closure of Calderstones and the Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust proposals was discussed (as set out in Section 3 of the report). The dispensation to expire after a period of four years or earlier if he ceased to be a Member of the Council.