Declarations of Interest/Pre Determination
To provide an opportunity for Members and Officers to declare any disclosable pecuniary and non-pecuniary interests and for Members to declare if they have a pre-determination in respect of any item on the agenda.
Minutes:
Prior to Members declaring their interests, the Chairman read out a statement which stated that:
It was noted, for the record, that Members have those interests in property in the administrative area of the Council as recorded on the register of interests.
It was noted for the record that Members may:-
a) be a Member of a Town or Parish Council
b) be a School Governor
c) be a member of an external organisation or amenity group such as the National Trust or The Ramblers Association.
d) have previously been involved in or expressed a view on the preparation of the Local Plan
e) be a Director of a Council owned company or have been appointed by the Council to a role in an external organisation
f) be involved in decisions about land in their role as a Member of the Council or in any of the “wider public life” roles that Members routinely undertake.
Notwithstanding that this may be the case in respect of any Members that were present, and save for any specific declarations which were invited, a standing declaration was given on behalf of those Members present that:-
1. They do not have a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in the local plan strategy; and,
2. they approach the debate and vote on the local plan strategy with an open mind.
Members were invited if they did in fact consider themselves to have a disclosable pecuniary interest and/or if they feel they are unable to approach the debate and vote on the local plan with an open mind, to declare that to the meeting:
Councillor Rachel Bailey asked that it be noted that she was the Lead Member responsible for the Local Plan and also a member of the Strategic Planning Board. Whilst she did not consider herself to have a disclosable pecuniary interest in the plan, nor to have predetermined any matter in relation to it, she took the view that because the previous Lead Member responsible for the Local Plan chose not to vote on the Cheshire East Local Plan, she would listen and participate today, but would abstain from any vote.