Do I declare an interest in discussions involving the obtaining of allotments, as I am on the waiting list.

Question

I applied to the Community Council for an allotment and was placed on the waiting list although the Council did not have allotments at that time.

A year later I was elected onto the Council and when a discussion arose in regard to the Council statutory duty in obtaining allotments, I declared an interest. I was advised by the Clerk (who had sought advice for another Council Member, at that time that I did not have to declare an interest as the Council did not have allotments, but would have to do so when the Council obtained allotments.

The Council are still in the process of obtaining land for allotments.

I did not receive this advice in writing and the Clerk has since left and I am now wondering if this advice was correct.

Answer 1

My feeling is that, although you probably support the general principle of allotment provision, you do have a personal interest in the outcome of any decisions to do with allotments. The extent of the interest is questionable, since it is unclear whether you would gain financially. But it is best to err on the side of caution. You should therefore declare an interest. It is helpful to obtain advice from the clerk, but in the end, the choice of whether to declare an interest is the responsibility of the individual councillor and neither other councillors nor the clerk have any jurisdiction in the matter.