Misleading minute.

Question

PC minutes at item 6 record declarations of interest made. In fact the declaration of interest was only made at item 16b and then when the interest (conflict) was raised by members of the public.

Anyone subsequently viewing past minutes, would believe that the declaration of interest was made at the commencement of the meeting and not halfway through the meeting. Being a pecuniary interest, is that action tantamount to being misleading to future readers of the minutes?

Answer 1

Not enough information to make definitive answer. Could be that the councillor in question did not have full information on the agenda topic or information was only forthcoming during discussion. The fact that the matter was declared is not diminished by when it was made. I would say that it is impossible to assume intent to hide a declarable interest on the part of the councillor

Comments

The Councillor was seeking to get a donation from the PC to pay for a valuation on a business. He is a leading member of the group concerned and had not declared an interest until a member of the public asked if he had an interest as none had been declared.

Answer 2

What material difference does it make?

Comments

The Councillor was seeking to get a donation from the PC to pay for a valuation on a business. He is a leading member of the group concerned and had not declared an interest until a member of the public asked if he had an interest as none had been declared.
Reading the minute afresh, it would read that an interest had been declared at the beginning of the meeting and not as the item discussion commenced.
Had it not been for the members of the public, no interest would have been declared.

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The minutes are of course there at the next meeting to be accepted or rejected at the next meeting where councillors can challenge the wording. nice to have members of the public who take an interest for a change.