Agenda item

To receive any declarations of interest from Members in respect of business to be transacted on the agenda.

The Monitoring Officer advised Members in respect of the item on the Adoption of Dover District Local Plan 2020-40 (Minute No. 40) and potential for a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest or an Other Significant Interest in land included in respect of site allocations.

The Monitoring Officer also advised Members that in respect of the item on the Motion (Minute No. 42), he had consulted with the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Governance Committee and following that had granted the dispensations requested by Members in respect of it.

The dispensation granted relieved those Members from both of the restrictions in paragraph 5 of the Code (participation in discussions and voting) on the grounds that without the dispensation, the number of persons prohibited from participating in the particular business would be so great a proportion of the Council as to impede the transaction of the business and/or the representation of different political groups on the Council would be so upset as to alter the likely outcome of any vote relating to the motion. The dispensation applied for the duration of the Council meeting on 16 October 2024.

Members were advised that where they had been granted a dispensation, they were still required to declare the interest.

Councillor T J Bartlett declared a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in Minute No. 40 (Adoption of Dover District Local Plan 2020-40) by reason of his family having land identified in the Local Plan.

Councillor N S Kenton declared a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in Minute No. 40 (Adoption of Dover District Local Plan 2020-40) by reason of his having land identified in the Local Plan as a commercial site.

Councillor D R Friend declared a Voluntary Announcement of Other Interests (VAOI) in Minute No. 40 (Adoption of Dover District Local Plan 2020-40). Although he had previously made public comments on a site in the Local Plan he had not predetermined his decision on the matter and was approaching it with an open mind and would determine it on its merits.

Councillor D G Beaney declared a Voluntary Announcement of Other Interest (VAOI) in Minute No. 40 (Adoption of Dover District Local Plan 2020-40) due to his involvement in the Local Plan.

Councillor D P Murphy declared an Other Significant Interest by reason of his position as a Cabinet Member at Kent County Council he had made comments on all of the district’s local plans. 

Councillor S B Blair stated that she did not have any interests to declare.

The following Members declared an Other Significant Interest in Minute No. 42 (Motions) and advised that they had been granted a dispensation in respect of it to relieve the restrictions of paragraph 5 of the Code (participation in discussions and voting).