The members of the Council are invited to consider whether they have a personal or prejudicial interest in connection with any matter to be debated or determined at this meeting and, if so, to declare it and state the nature of such interest.

The Mayor, in opening this extraordinary meeting, made the following statement to the Council:

“I’m aware that there may be some concern about my involvement in this part of tonight’s meeting, and whether or not there is a requirement of me to declare a prejudicial interest. I am going to make a statement which sets out what  my position will be, and the thinking and the advice I have had which has influenced me in reaching the decision as to what my involvement should properly be. It is a statement by me, and not part of any debate which may follow. In reaching my decision, I’ve consulted the Director of Law, who at my request will repeat the advice he gave me in a few moments. I have taken advice from an advisor from Standards for England, which accords with that given to me by the Director of Law, and I have consulted the Mayor’s Guidance Hand book, Paul Millwards “Civic Ceremonial”.

The events covered in this part of the Klonowski report have been the subject now of several internal investigations, three external investigations, a grievance hearing and a disciplinary hearing. Quite a number of members will have been involved with it in some way, whether through involvement with the working party on charging, in one of the internal or external investigations, have given evidence to the Klonowski enquiry or as part of the panel for the grievance hearing or disciplinary hearing, and they may well have sought advice as I have.

I was the Lead Member for part of the time covered by the report. I gave evidence at the disciplinary hearings at the request of the members’ panel, and I am currently Mayor, and these are the areas on which I sought advice.

Also I have previously declared a prejudicial interest on the advice of the Director of Law because of my friendship with a former Director of Social Services. My friendship with him continues.

I declared a prejudicial interest through the period covered by the disciplinary hearing against Officers, which followed from the publication of the PIDA in 2008 until that process was completed in 2009, at which point the former Director made it clear he would have no further involvement in any investigation, and I was then advised that I was no longer required to declare a prejudicial interest, but should continue to declare a personal interest.

At the first opportunity available to me after that, which was in November 2009, I made a speech to Council in which I set out what I had known about the charging policy and related issues, when I became aware of problems and my actions up to that time.

On that occasion I apologised to those people who had been affected by service failure that had taken place “on my watch” as Cabinet Lead.

I repeated that apology on two further occasions, once in 2010 and again in 2011.

Those apologies were sincerely given, and were an acceptance  ...  view the full minutes text for item 103.

The Mayor, having vacated the Chair for this item and having left the chamber, the Deputy Mayor, Councillor G Ellis, took the Chair for this item.

To consider any matters referred to this extraordinary meeting of Council by Cabinet on 2 February, 2012.

(All Councillors will have received a copy of the AKA report. A hard copy can be provided on request.)

Councillor Jeff Green, having received advice that all Members would be entitled to receive an un-redacted version of the AKA report suggested that it would not be appropriate to debate this matter until an un-redacted copy had been circulated and moved –

‘That in accordance with Standing Order 9(k) this meeting stands adjourned until 7.00pm on Monday 20 February, 2012.’

This motion was seconded by Councillor Tom Harney.

The Leader of the Council, in response, commented that irrespective of redaction or not there were issues around the report which wouldn’t go away. An Action Plan had been agreed by the Cabinet and it would be a negation of democracy not to allow every single Member to comment on this.

The motion was then put and it was –

Resolved (34:29) (One abstention) - That in accordance with Standing Order 9(k) this meeting stands adjourned until 7.00pm on Monday 20 February, 2012.

To consider any matters referred to this extraordinary meeting of Council by the special meeting of Audit and Risk Management Committee on 13 February and/or the special meeting of Cabinet on 13 February, 2012.

This item was deferred until a future meeting.