Agenda item

Considered

An urgent report of the Assistant Chief Executive Legal and Democratic Services and Monitoring Officer on dispensation requests relating to the upcoming Full Council meeting on Friday 13 February. Members were provided with paper copies of the urgent report at the meeting.

The Assistant Director Legal and Deputy Monitoring Officer introduced the report and explained that a motion was expected at Friday’s Full Council meeting concerning funding for the North Yorkshire Citizens Advice and Law Centre.

A number of councillors held Other Registrable Interests (ORIs) relating to their involvement with the organisation and while these were not Disclosable Pecuniary Interests (DPIs), they would prevent affected Members from participating in debate or voting.

Written requests for dispensations had been received from Councillors Carl Les, Caroline Goodrick and John Ritchie. The Monitoring Officer also sought delegated authority to grant similar dispensations, in consultation with the Chair of Full Council, to any other councillors who might disclose relevant ORIs for the same meeting, to avoid the risk of Members being unfairly excluded from participating in a key budget decision.

During the discussion of this item, Members noted that failing to grant the dispensations could result in a significant number of Members being unable to vote on the overall budget.

Officers clarified that dispensation requests must be made in writing to the Monitoring Officer under the Localism Act 2011 and that the proposed delegation to grant similar dispensations related solely to the Full Council meeting on 13 February 2026. Members sought clarification regarding financial benefit, and it was confirmed that none of the interests concerned DPIs.

It was moved by Councillor Nigel Knapton and seconded by Councillor Peter Wilkinson that the Committee resolves the below recommendations.

Resolved (unanimously)

       i.         That Members consider and determine:

a.     The dispensation request submitted by Councillor Les as set out at Appendix 1 for a dispensation, until the next local government elections in 2027, to enable him to speak, vote and be included in the quorum in meetings of full Council when debating and approving the Council’s budget and any associated motions;

b.     The dispensation requested by Councillor Ritchie as set out in Appendix 2 received by the Monitoring Officer and any other such dispensation requests from Councillors who are trustees of North Yorkshire Citizens Advice and Law Centre, by the date of the Committee’s meeting, for a dispensation until the next local government elections in 2027 to enable him/them to speak, vote and be included in the quorum in meetings of full Council when debating and approving the Council’s budget and any associated motions; and

c.     If minded to grant the dispensation(s) as set out above, that the Committee authorises the granting of similar dispensations for any further requests received by the Monitoring Officer after the Committee’s meeting but prior to the Council meeting on 13 February 2026.

     ii.         That the Committee delegates to the Monitoring Officer, in consultation with the Chair of full Council, the power to grant similar analogous dispensations, on similar terms, as may be requested by Members (and confirmed by them in writing), who are also members of other registered organisations whose financial interests may directly relate to the budget setting process, at the meeting of full Council on 13 February 2026.