Participation in Relation to Disclosed Interests
14.—(1) Subject to sub-paragraphs (2), (3) and (4), where you have a prejudicial interest in any business of your authority you must, unless you have obtained a dispensation from your authority’s standards committee —
(a)withdraw from the room, chamber or place where a meeting considering the business is being held—
(i)where sub-paragraph (2) applies, immediately after the period for making representations, answering questions or giving evidence relating to the business has ended and in any event before further consideration of the business begins, whether or not the public are allowed to remain in attendance for such consideration; or
(ii)in any other case, whenever it becomes apparent that that business is being considered at that meeting;
(b)not exercise executive or board functions in relation to that business;
(c)not seek to influence a decision about that business;
(d)not make any written representations (whether by letter, facsimile or some other form of electronic communication) in relation to that business; and
(e)not make any oral representations (whether in person or some form of electronic communication) in respect of that business or immediately cease to make such oral representations when the prejudicial interest becomes apparent.
(2) Where you have a prejudicial interest in any business of your authority you may attend a meeting but only for the purpose of making representations, answering questions or giving evidence relating to the business, provided that the public are also allowed to attend the meeting for the same purpose, whether under a statutory right or otherwise.
(3) Sub-paragraph (1) does not prevent you attending and participating in a meeting if —
(a) you are required to attend a meeting of an overview or scrutiny committee, by such committee exercising its statutory powers; or
(b)you have the benefit of a dispensation provided that you —
(i)state at the meeting that you are relying on the dispensation; and
(ii)before or immediately after the close of the meeting give written notification to your authority containing —
(aa)details of the prejudicial interest;
(bb)details of the business to which the prejudicial interest relates;
(cc)details of, and the date on which, the dispensation was granted; and
(dd)your signature.
(4) Where you have a prejudicial interest and are making written or oral representations to your authority in reliance upon a dispensation, you must provide details of the dispensation within any such written or oral representation and, in the latter case, provide written notification to your authority within 14 days of making the representation.