NORTH YORKSHIRE COUNCIL
STANDARDS AND GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE
Name of Member seeking dispensation: Hannah Gostlow
In respect of which meeting(s)? (Include dates, where possible)
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Knaresborough Town Council meetings (including Full Council) for which I am an elected member, and NYC Harrogate & Knaresborough Area Constituency Committee meetings.
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In respect of what business? (If applicable, include full details of the agenda item or other matter)
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In matters relating to either of these local not-for-profit organisations; Knaresborough Connectors, and Knaresborough Community Land Trust.
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Name of the Relevant Officer: (Please indicate the name of the officer who usually presents reports on the matter for which a dispensation is sought).
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Knaresborough Town Council Clerk
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Desired length of dispensation: (Please note the maximum length of a dispensation is four years)
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Until the end of this current council term – May 2027
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Ground(s) for application: (Please tick the relevant box(es))
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X |
(a) without the dispensation the number of persons prohibited from participating in any particular business would be so great a proportion of the body transacting the business as to impede the transaction of the business;
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X |
(b) without the dispensation the representation of different political groups on the body transacting any particular business would be so upset as to alter the likely outcome of any vote relating to the business;
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X |
(c) granting the dispensation is in the interests of persons living in the authority’s area;
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(d) without the dispensation each Member of the Authority’s Executive would be prohibited from participating in any particular business to be transacted by the Executive; or
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X |
(e) it is otherwise appropriate to grant a dispensation.
Details of your interest:
Please set out full details of your interest in the business concerned. Please continue on a separate sheet if necessary:
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I am a member and a £1 shareholder of both Knaresborough Connectors and Knaresborough Community Land Trust, however both organisations are not-for-profit community benefit societies. I believe they are both ‘asset locked’ organisations and so although I have a £1 share in both, I could never earn any money from them apart from having my £1 returned if I withdrew my share.
I am no longer on the board of directors for Knaresborough Connectors, and I have never been a director for Knaresborough Community Land Trust.
My colleague Cllr. Peter Lacey is a director of both organisations but he too has no pecuniary benefit. |
Reasons for seeking a dispensation:
Please set out full reasons why it is desirable for the Standards and Governance Committee to grant you a dispensation in respect of the above interest. Please continue on a separate sheet if necessary:
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I personally feel as a Town Councillor it is important to support these organisations in my community and to also get involved to fully understand the work they are doing. However, at present under the current code of conduct for Knaresborough Town Council I cannot take part in agenda items relating to these two organisations and must leave the room for any decision making. The majority if not almost all our Knaresborough Town Councillors are also members of Knaresborough Connectors, and many are members of Knaresborough Community Land Trust, and therefore we run the risk of not being able to conduct council business on items related to them.
I feel it is also important as one of only two Knaresborough division NYC councillors that I could take part in discussion and decision making related to my community and these two community benefit societies if it were to be included on an agenda for the NYC H&K ACC. |
PLEASE REMEMBER THAT WHEN ACTING UNDER A DISPENSATION, MEMBERS MUST AT ALL TIMES ACT, AND APPEAR TO ACT, IN THE AUTHORITY’S BEST INTERESTS.
Signed: Hannah Gostlow Dated: 6th August 2024
TO: BARRY KHAN, Monitoring Officer, North Yorkshire Council