Agenda item

Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 requires that a Councillor who owes arrears of Council Tax which have been outstanding for more than two months must declare this at any Council meeting which considers the setting of a budget and the Council Tax, and that they should not vote on those matters.  Failing to comply with those requirements if they apply is an offence.  If this applies to any Councillors at this meeting, they are therefore advised to make the required declaration and to leave the meeting during consideration of item 6.1.

It is a requirement of the Council’s Code of Conduct for Members that the existence and nature of all personal interests must be disclosed.  Therefore, in the case of item 6.1 on the agenda, 2019/20 Special Expenses and General Fund and HRA Revenue Budgets, it is suggested that members of precepting authorities declare such interests.  (For example, this would relate to members of Leicestershire County Council, the Combined Fire Authority and Parish and Town Councils).

The Mayor drew Councillors’ attention to the advice on interests in item 6.1 on the agenda, 2019/20 Special Expenses and General Fund and HRA Revenue Budgets, for members of precepting authorities.  The Mayor also reminded Councillors that Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 required that a Councillor who owed arrears of Council Tax which had been outstanding for more than two months must declare that at any Council meeting which considered the setting of a budget and the Council Tax, and that they should not vote on those matters. 

The Mayor also invited the Monitoring Officer to confirm his advice in relation to interests in item 6.3 on the agenda, Council Tax – Amendments to Empty Homes Premium and Exemptions.  In doing so, the Monitoring Officer clarified that only interests relating to properties in the Borough needed to be disclosed.

The following disclosures of pecuniary and personal interests were made:

(i)            by Councillor Barkley – a personal interest in item 6.1 on the agenda (2019/20 Special Expenses and General Fund and HRA Revenue Budgets) as a member of Leicestershire County Council and Syston Town Council;

(ii)          by Councillor Bebbington – a personal interest in item 6.1 on the agenda (2019/20 Special Expenses and General Fund and HRA Revenue Budgets) as a member of Shepshed Town Council;

(iii)         by Councillor Brookes – a personal interest in item 6.1 on the agenda (2019/20 Special Expenses and General Fund and HRA Revenue Budgets) as a member of Thurmaston Parish Council;

(iv)         by Councillor Forrest – a personal interest in item 6.1 on the agenda (2019/20 Special Expenses and General Fund and HRA Revenue Budgets) as a member of Barrow Upon Soar Parish Council;

(v)          by Councillor Fryer – a personal interest in item 6.1 on the agenda (2019/20 Special Expenses and General Fund and HRA Revenue Budgets) as a member of Leicestershire County Council;

(vi)         by Councillor Gerrard – a personal interest in item 6.1 on the agenda (2019/20 Special Expenses and General Fund and HRA Revenue Budgets) as a member of Syston Town Council and East Goscote Parish Council;

(vii)        by Councillor Hampson – a personal interest in item 6.3 on the agenda (Council Tax – Amendments to Empty Homes Premium and Exemptions);

(viii)       by Councillor C. Harris – a personal interest in item 6.3 on the agenda (Council Tax – Amendments to Empty Homes Premium and Exemptions) as she was party to a property in the Borough that was let out; however, it had never proved difficult to let or been empty for a period of time and she therefore did not consider that she needed to leave the room for the consideration of the item;

(ix)         by Councillor Harper-Davies – a personal interest in item 6.1 on the agenda (2019/20 Special Expenses and General Fund and HRA Revenue Budgets) as a member of Mountsorrel Parish Council;

(x)          by Councillor K. Harris – an interest in item 6.3 on the agenda (Council Tax – Amendments to Empty Homes Premium and Exemptions) as he had an indirect interest in a rental property;

(xi)         by Councillor Miah – a personal interest in item 6.1 on the agenda (2019/20 Special Expenses and General Fund and HRA Revenue Budgets) as a member of Leicestershire County Council and a personal interest leading to bias in item 6.3 on the agenda (Council Tax – Amendments to Empty Homes Premium and Exemptions) as a landlord;

(xii)        by Councillor Morgan – a personal interest in item 6.1 on the agenda (2019/20 Special Expenses and General Fund and HRA Revenue Budgets) as a member of Leicestershire County Council;

(xiii)       by Councillor Pacey – a personal interest in item 6.1 on the agenda (2019/20 Special Expenses and General Fund and HRA Revenue Budgets) as a member of Syston Town Council;

(xiv)      by Councillor Paling – a personal interest in item 6.1 on the agenda (2019/20 Special Expenses and General Fund and HRA Revenue Budgets) as a member of Sileby Parish Council, and a disclosable pecuniary interest in item 6.3 on the agenda (Council Tax – Amendments to Empty Homes Premium and Exemptions) as he had inherited a property in the Borough that was currently empty;

(xv)       by Councillor Parton – personal interests in item 6.1 on the agenda (2019/20 Special Expenses and General Fund and HRA Revenue Budgets), item 6.2 on the agenda (Capital Strategy (Including Treasury Management Strategy) For 2019/20) and item 6.3 on the agenda (Council Tax – Amendments to Empty Homes Premium and Exemptions) as a member of Leicestershire County Council, and a personal interest in item 10.4 on the agenda (Questions on Notice – Loughborough Town Centre) as a member of the Loughborough Town Team, appointed by Leicestershire County Council;

(xvi)      by Councillor Poland – a personal interest in item 6.1 on the agenda (2019/20 Special Expenses and General Fund and HRA Revenue Budgets) as a member of Leicestershire County Council and the Leicestershire and Rutland Combined Fire Authority, and as his wife was a member of Syston Town Council;

(xvii)     by Councillor Radford – a personal interest in item 6.1 on the agenda (2019/20 Special Expenses and General Fund and HRA Revenue Budgets) as a member of Leicestershire County Council;

(xviii)    by Councillor Ranson – a personal interest in item 6.1 on the agenda (2019/20 Special Expenses and General Fund and HRA Revenue Budgets) as a member of Barrow Upon Soar Parish Council;

(xix)      by Councillor Rattray – a personal interest in item 6.1 on the agenda (2019/20 Special Expenses and General Fund and HRA Revenue Budgets) as a member of Birstall Parish Council at the time that it set its precept;

(xx)       by Councillor Seaton – a personal interest in item 6.1 on the agenda (2019/20 Special Expenses and General Fund and HRA Revenue Budgets) as a member of Leicestershire County Council and Thurmaston Parish Council;

(xxi)      by Councillor Shepherd – personal interests in items 6.1 on the agenda (2019/20 Special Expenses and General Fund and HRA Revenue Budgets) and item 6.3 on the agenda (Council Tax – Amendments to Empty Homes Premium and Exemptions) as a member of Leicestershire County Council;

(xxii)     by Councillor Smidowicz – an interest in item 6.3 on the agenda (Council Tax – Amendments to Empty Homes Premium and Exemptions) as she was the clerk to a charity which owned properties that could be empty;

(xxiii)    by Councillor Tassell – a personal interest in item 6.1 on the agenda (2019/20 Special Expenses and General Fund and HRA Revenue Budgets) as a member of Shepshed Town Council;

(xxiv)    by Councillor Taylor – a personal interest in item 6.1 on the agenda (2019/20 Special Expenses and General Fund and HRA Revenue Budgets) as a member of Leicestershire County Council and Anstey Parish Council;

(xxv)     by Councillor Vardy – a personal interest in item 6.1 on the agenda (2019/20 Special Expenses and General Fund and HRA Revenue Budgets) as a member of Syston Town Council.

Councillor Hadji-Nikolaou joined the meeting at 6.45pm.