Agenda item

Members are invited to disclose any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests or Other Significant Interests in accordance with the Member Code of Conduct. Guidance on this is set out in agenda item 2.

Disclosable pecuniary interests

The Monitoring Officer advised that Members of the Council who had two or more months of council tax arrears would not be permitted to vote on the Council budget and that any relevant names would not be read out when the vote was taken.

The Monitoring Officer advised that since publication of the Council agenda, he had been made aware that a number of Councillors may have had disclosable pecuniary interests arising from:

·       Licensing/leasing allotments from the Council

·       Tenancies of residential or commercial premises to / from the Council

·       Their spouse, partner, friend or family member with whom they had a close association may be an employee of the Council,

·       Receipt of council tax reduction / exemption.

The Monitoring Officer advised that he had exercised a delegation to grant a dispensation to all Members of the Council to participate, debate and vote on the budget reports considered at the Council Budget setting meeting where a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest (DPI) or Other Significant Interest arose from the circumstances set out above.

This dispensation was limited to the Council meeting at which the Council’s budget for the forthcoming year was set and any dispensation in relation to being in receipt of council tax reduction / exemption did not apply to agenda item No.7 (Council Tax Reduction Scheme 2024/2025).

The following Members advised that they had been granted a dispensation: Councillors Browne, Coombs, Edwards, Hamandishe, Hamilton, Mahil, Mandaracas, Myton, Louwella Prenter and Mark Prenter.

A Member asked for clarification of whether any Member owning more than one property in Medway needed to declare a Disclosable Pecuniary interest. The Monitoring Officer advised that Members did need to declare such an interest and that if any were declared to the meeting he would be able to consider granting a dispensation to enable their full participation in the Council meeting.

The following Members were granted the relevant dispensation by the Monitoring Officer – Councillors Gulvin, Hackwell, Mrs Turpin and Wildey.

Councillor Spalding declared a DPI in relation to agenda item nos. 7 (Council Tax Reduction Scheme 2024/2025), 8 (Treasury Management Strategy 2024/25), 9 (Adult Social Care Structural Review and Budget Addition) and 10 (Capital and Revenue Budget 2024/25). This was with regards Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992. Councillor Spalding left the room during discussion and determination of item no.7. He remained in the room during discussion of items 8,9 and 10 but did not participate in determination of these items.

Councillor McDonald declared an interest in relation to agenda item no. 10 (Capital and Revenue Budget 2024/25) because he is the Chief Executive Officer of Citizens Advice Medway, which was affected by the budget proposals due to be considered by the Council. Councillor McDonald left the room during discussion and determination of the item.

Other significant interests (OSIs)

Councillor Crozer declared an interest in agenda item no. 10 (Capital and Revenue Budget 2024/25) as he is an unpaid trustee of AMAT UK. Councillor Crozer advised that he had been granted a dispensation by the Monitoring Officer to enable him to participate in discussion and determination of the relevant items.

Other interests

Councillor Hackwell declared an interest in agenda item no. 10 (Capital and Revenue Budget 2024/25) because his wife is a part time tutor for Medway Adult Education.