Can close family member’s of councillors and clerks present a quote for a job?

Question

What’s the stance on a councillor or clerks Close family members putting in a quotation for a job to be done for the council? Clerks husband and a councillors son and one outside person have put quotes in for the same job (ie three quotations) is it ok to go this or not

Answer 1

As long as the interest is declared and the councillor or clerk in question removes themselves from the debate and decision making, then I believe this is OK.  They may provide the best value or most competitive quote and as long as the decision making is transparent, then why not?

Comments

Whilst the declaration and abstention from debate and voting at council meeting would be in any council expected the matter may in fact run deeper. Has the councillor or clerk been in any way passing "inside information" from committees etc when pre-quotations and specifications were formulated? Very difficult to check on but possible.Such a declaration of interest when made should trigger a historical search for when in the procedures the declarations were made and whether they reflect whatever involvement the councillor or clerk had at that time. But of course if councillors followed the requirements of their office the question would never arise would it?

Answer 2

Another grey area of parish/town council life I'm afraid.

What do your standing orders / own policies and procedures say? If you have followed these and they were, of course, voted on then technically there isn't a problem. However, I agree with the points Mentorman makes. Parish / Town Councils should be totally transparent. These questions wouldn't need to be asked if all councils had a clear and concise policy for tendering works and how those tenders are sifted before selection.

Although it doesn't sound like you council has breached any legislation it does highlight a loop that could most certainly be tightened.