STANDARDS COMMITTEE

25^TH MARCH, 2004

PRESENT:	Mr. Roger Hayes (Independent Member) (Chair)
Independent Members:- Ms Dot Griew, Mrs Julie James, Mr Jeffrey Lewis County Councillors:- Meilir Bowen Hughes, Kevin Madge and W. David Thomas Community Committee Member:- Councillor Mrs. Margaret Owen
The following officers were also in attendance:- Mr Lyn Thomas - Monitoring Officer Ms Shari Jones - Principal Democratic Services Officer (Chamber, County Hall, Carmarthen - 2.00 p.m. - 2.55 p.m.)

1. APOLOGIES

Apologies for absence were received from Mr John French,

2. DECLARATIONS OF PERSONAL INTEREST

Mr. Jeff Lewis - Minute No. 3.2 - Requests received for Dispensation - Llangunnor Community Council - Park Association - Member of the Park Association.

In response to advice sought by Councillor K. Madge as to whether he should declare an interest in relation to Minute 3.1 by virtue of the fact that he was a member of the Planning Committee, the Monitoring Officer indicated that this would not be necessary and he could participate in the determination of the applications.

3. APPLICATIONS FOR THE GRANT OF DISPENSATION

3.1. Carmarthenssire County Council - Planning Application GW/05148 Meat Processing Plant At Cross Hands Business Park, Cross Hands, Carmarthenshire

The Committee considered requests from County Councillors J.J.J. Davies, T. Theophilus and W. Dorrien Thomas, elected councillors of Carmarthenshire County Council and members of the Planning Committee for the grant of dispensation under the provisions of the Standards Committees (Grant of Dispensation) (Wales) Regulations 2001 in respect of the following matter:

· To speak and vote at a meeting of the Planning Committee to be held on the 26^th March, 2004 to discuss Planning Application GW/05148 - the development of a meat processing plant at Cross Hands Business Park, Cross Hands. The planning application included a building that would house the meat processing plant, which included an abattoir.

The reasons for declaring an interest were that Councillors J.J.J. Davies and W. Dorrien Thomas were employed as farmers. Both managed livestock and might use this facility indirectly if dealers who purchased their cattle utilised this abattoir. In the case of Councillor T. Theophilus, the reason for declaring an interest was that whilst he had retired from farming he had a son who was a farmer and who might use this facility at a future date.

Granting dispensations would allow the participation of the above councillors in the meeting that would be convened to determine whether or not planning permission should be granted to the development.

The Committee considered in detail the application forms submitted by the three applicants and noted that in each case, the applicants had indicated that the normal practice was to take livestock to cattle markets for sale rather than deal directly with an abattoir.

RESOLVED that dispensation be granted under Paragraphs 2 (d), and/ or 2(f) the Standards Committee (Grant of Dispensations) (Wales) Regulations 2001, for Councillors J.J.J. Davies, W. Dorrien Thomas and T. Theophilus to speak and vote at the meeting of the County Council's Planning Committee to be held on the 26^th March, 2004 in connection with planning application GW/05148.

3.2. LLANGUNNOR TOWN COUNCIL

(Note: Mr Jeff Lewis had earlier declared an interest in this item)

The Committee considered a request from Community Councillors H.R. Davies, C.M. Jones, D. Williams and R.O. Griffiths, elected members of Llangunnor Community Council for the grant of dispensation to be provided to all members of the Council under the provisions of the Standards (Grant of Dispensation) (Wales) Regulations 2001 in respect of the following matter:-

· To speak and vote at all meetings of the Community Council on any matter involving the Park Association.

The reason for seeking dispensation was that the above councillors were all members of the Park Association and they would not otherwise be able to participate in any meeting to discuss the Association unless granted a dispensation by the Standards Committee.

RESOLVED:

3.2.1. under Paragraphs 2 (d), and/or 2(f) of the Standards Committee (Grant of Dispensations) (Wales) Regulations 2001, that dispensation be granted to the following members of Llangunnor Community Council to speak and vote at meetings of the Council when matters appertaining to Park Association were discussed:

Community Councilllors H.R. Davies, C.M. Jones, D. Williams and R.O. Griffiths.

3.2.2. that the dispensation granted under resolution 3.2.1 above shall only apply up to the date of the Community Council elections on the 10^th June 2004

4. COUNTY COUNCIL REPRESENTATION ON LOCAL HEALTH BOARDS

In accordance with the request made at its meeting held on the 7^th January, 2004, the Committee received, for information, guidance produced by the Welsh Assembly Government on the Code of Conduct for Local Health Board members.

RESOLVED that the report be received for information.

5. MINUTES - 7^TH JANUARY, 2004

Arising from minute no. 5, the Monitoring Officer reported that he had received clarification regarding the offer made by Ceredigion County Council to meet with the Standards Committee members to discuss any similar issues arising as part of the standards process. He stated that there were no specific issues arising, but that the request had been made with a view to fostering the working relationship between Standards Committees.

Members of the Committee agreed that this could be borne in mind should any matters of mutual interest arise at a future date.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on the 7^th January, 2004 be approved as a correct record and signed.

6. LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS AND SCHEDULE OF MEETINGS

In view of its proximity to the local government elections on the 10th June, 2004, the Committee was requested to consider rescheduling the meeting due to have been held on the 24^th June, 2004.

RESOLVED that the meeting of the Committee due to have been held on the 24^th June, be rescheduled to the 15^th July, 2004.

As this was the final scheduled meeting of the Committee prior to the Local Government elections on the 10^th June, 2004, the elected members conveyed their thanks to the Chair for the excellent manner in which he had chaired the Committee during their period as members, and also to other member of the Committee for their contribution to the work of the Committee.

The Chair responded by thanking the members for their kind sentiments and stated that he appreciated their assistance and input to the Committee. He wished them well in the forthcoming elections.

7. URGENT ITEMS

The Chair reported that pursuant to Section 100B(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972 he had decided to allow items 8 and 9 below to be considered at the meeting as a matters of urgency.:

Minute no. 8 - Request Received for Grant of Dispensation - Carmarthenshire County Council - Planning Application GW/05148 Meat Processing Plant At Cross Hands Business Park, Cross Hands, Carmarthenshire - Reason for urgency - as the application concerned was due to be determined at the meeting of the Planning Committee to be held the following day - 26^th March, 2004.

Minute No. 9 - Remuneration - Independent Members of the Standards Committee

Reason for urgency - to afford officers the opportunity of researching the matter.

8. REQUEST RECEIVED FOR GRANT OF DISPENSATION - CARMARTHENSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL - PLANNING APPLICATION GW/05148 - MEAT PROCESSING PLANT AT CROSS HANDS BUSINESS PARK, CROSS HANDS, CARMARTHENSHIRE.

The Monitoring Officer reported that an application had been received subsequent to the despatch of the agenda from County Councillor N. Baker, elected councillor of Carmarthenshire County Council and nominated substitute member of the Planning Committee. The application for the grant of dispensation under the provisions of the Standards Committees (Grant of Dispensation) (Wales) Regulations 2001 was in respect of the following matter:

· To speak but not vote at a meeting of the Planning Committee to be held on the 26^th March, 2004 to discuss Planning Application GW/05148 - the development of a meat processing plant at Cross Hands Business Park, Cross Hands. The planning application included a building that would house the meat processing plant, which included an abattoir.

Councillor Baker was one of the local councillors for Cross Hands. A member of the public alleged that he had expressed an opinion in relation to the application.

The reasons provided with the application for dispensation were that Councillor Baker wished to represent the views of his electors. He stated that he had been in contact with objectors to and supporters of the application and had been careful to avoid expressing an opinion.

RESLOVED that dispensation be granted under Paragraph 2 (d) of the Standards Committee (Grant of Dispensations) (Wales) Regulations 2001, for Councillor N. Baker to speak but not vote at the meeting of the County Council's Planning Committee to be held on the 26^th March, 2004 in connection with planning application GW/05148.

9. REMUNERATION - INDEPENDENT MEMBERS OF STANDARDS COMMITTEE

The Committee's attention was drawn to a recent advertisement by a Welsh local authority seeking to appoint an independent member for its Standards Committee. It was noted that remuneration of £1,000 per annum was offered. A request was made that consideration be given to providing remuneration to independent members of Carmarthenshire County Council's Standards Committee.

RESOLVED: that this matter be referred initially to the Modernising Local Government Advisory Panel for consideration.