Hampshire County Council Conduct Advisory Panel Meeting

Apologies were received from Councillors Evans and Latham

Members were mindful that where they believed they had a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in any matter considered at the meeting they must declare that interest at the time of the relevant debate and, having regard to the circumstances described in Part 3, Paragraph 1.5 of the County Council's Members' Code of Conduct, leave the meeting while the matter was discussed, save for exercising any right to speak in accordance with Paragraph 1.6 of the Code. Furthermore Members were mindful that where they believed they had a Personal interest in a matter being considered at the meeting they considered whether such interest should be declared, and having regard to Part 5, Paragraph 5 of the Code, considered whether it was appropriate to leave the meeting whilst the matter was discussed, save for exercising any right to speak in accordance with the Code.

The minutes of the meeting of 24 October 2019 were considered and agreed.

The Chairman made no announcements on this occasion.

No deputation requests had been received.

The Conduct Advisory Panel considered a report of the Monitoring Officer proposing the granting of a period of absence for an elected Member of the County Council pursuant to Section 85 of the Local Government Act 1972.

In introduction to the report the Panel heard that the proposed absence was due to ongoing individual circumstances and not Covid-19 related. It was confirmed that the Panel had delegated authority from the County Council to grant a leave of absence. It was questioned whether in addition to the proposed individual leave of absence, the general Covid-19 dispensation should be extended. Members noted that attendance at remote meetings was now well established and mechanisms were in place to identify individual Members who could not attend for health reasons.

The recommendations in the report were considered and it was

RESOLVED

That the Conduct Advisory Panel approve a period of absence pursuant to

Section 85 of the Local Government Act 1972 for a period of six months from

the 20 November 2020 for Councillor Dibbs for health reasons.