DISPENSATIONS AGAIN

Question

Our standing orders provide an option for the meeting to vote on an application for dispensation .  Can those legitimately making the application take part in that vote ?

Answer 1

If they have a dispensation );0)

Comments

While I sometimes have difficulty in interpreting RAG speak , this one has beaten me. Plain English please

---

It was Alanis Morissette….

You’d need a dispensation to vote in your own application for a dispensation, which would need a dispensation to vote in your own application for dispensation which would need a dispensation to vote in your own application for dispensation…..

It’s going to be a long meeting….

Answer 2

As I have said before, there is no actual legislation that prevents someone voting for their own dispensation but if you actually look at the reasons why and when a dispensation should be granted, and consider the whole concept of what declaration of interests, particularly disclosable ones, are intended to achieve, it seems incongruous that someone should be permitted to vote on a matter which would avoid the application of the rules on speaking and voting on matters in which they have an interest.  Irrespective of the legislation, I would personally not support a move to allow someone applying for a dispensation to vote on their own application.

Comments

Delboys wife . Please don't think I appreciate and understand your sentiments but sometimes desperate situations, require desperate measures.  We have a Council which is deeply divided. It all revolves around our Community Centre.  Several years ago all the public trustees resigned over the attitude of the PC appointed Trustees/Councillors. Since then we have had an interim PC run committee.  That failed and now most of the original public trustees are back and doing a good job and indeed many became Councillors at the recent elections .  So we have control of the Community Centre and the PC.  The problem is that when it comes to voting on matters relating to the Community Centre over half of the Cllrs cant vote . Now recently we had a situation whereby the Community Centre wanted money to put right a long standing problem and applied to the Council to spend on this project through its agreed maintenance grant.  However one of the original trustees argued this wasn't maintenance and a decision was delayed .  As a result the customer most affected (a 100 year old club) folded and there was a public outcry .  This situation has to be put right , the problems is that we cant guarantee the votes because of the declared interests.  I am seeking a way around this dilemma.

---

There is specific allowance for those involved in a charitable or community group on a non remunerated basis to be exempted from the restrictions normally imposed by a DPI or a non disclosable interest.
If they are not gaining, personally, financially, then they may not need to be excluded.
This allowance is made for precisely this sort of situation.

---

RAG I love you... where is that stated?

Come on RAG don't let me down

---

"There is specific allowance for those involved in a charitable or community group on a non remunerated basis to be exempted from the restrictions normally imposed by a DPI or a non disclosable interest." - please could you provide a link to this allowance?  This situation is also relevant in our PC where a number of councillors are trustees for a community building.  Thanks

---

I agree el capitan.  I have been waiting for 4 hours for RAG to get back to me.  Lets hope he is busy scouring his "notes".  I cant find anything anywhere but lets hope RAG proves us wrong

---

Hold on my lovelies! I’ve had a full day at work, set up a new smart Tv in the barn (gym) (tech nightmare!) been to the nipper’s school tutor meeting, had a 3 hour training session, cooked dinner and now having a single malt and catching up whilst fighting off neck cramp. I ran out of time energy and inclination to load the truck for tomorrow job so will have to get up at 6…..

Bear with whilst I just extract a quote from MSOs……

---

It looks like the most recent MSOs has dropped the part I am recalling which - from memory - specified that a charitable concern could be exempted. I’m not looking up and cross checking the new with the old tonight.  I’ll have to come back to it at the weekend.
I’m having another glass then going to bed.

---

Well RAG I have to say you let me down.  My MO also never replied.  It has however in my mind opened up this whole debate about "other registerable interests".   They have been described as PC led "optional extras" but are they truly such.  It seems our form has been the same since the year dot and the whole of MO area is the same .  So who controls it the MO or the PCs? Time for letter to MO