Agenda item - Declarations of substitutes and interests and exclusions

The Chair of the Board will formally ask if anyone is attending to represent another member, and if anyone has a personal and/or financial interest in anything being discussed at the meeting.  The Board will then consider whether any of the discussions to be held need to be in private.

1.1            Prior to taking the formal items on the agenda, the Chair welcomed everyone to the first meeting of the Board following the recent local council elections.  He also stated that he wished to clarify the position of Councillor Penn following a question during the informal question time prior to the start of the meeting.  He noted that Councillor Penn was the council’s Lead Member for Mental Health and as such he had invited her to attend the meetings of the Board and to speak on matters relating to mental health.

1.2            Councillor G. Theobald noted that Councillor Penn was sitting with the other Council Members of the Board and stated that he felt it was inappropriate and confusing as she would not be able to vote on any matters.  He felt that she should be invited to come to the table and speak on matters but should not sit with the Members of the Board on a permanent basis as this gave the wrong picture.  She should be treated like any other representative who was invited to speak and come forward to address the meeting at the appropriate time.

1.3            The Chair noted the comments and stated that he felt it was appropriate for Councillor Penn to be invited to attend and to sit with the Board.

1.4            Councillor Mac Cafferty asked for guidance on the matter and clarification of the position.

1.5            The Lawyer to the Board stated that the Councillor had been invited to attend the meeting by the Chair in her capacity as Lead Member for Mental Health.  There was no suggestion that the membership of the Board was being altered or that there were any changes to the terms of reference proposed.  The meeting was open to all Members to attend and they could seek the Chair’s agreement to speak on a matter.  However, she noted that concerns had been expressed and suggested that further discussions with Members could be held outside of the meeting to clarify matters.

1.6            Councillor K. Norman stated that the Chair had approached him prior to the start of the meeting and asked if he would move seats on this occasion, which he had agreed to do.  He accepted that any Member had the right to attend and speak at the meeting with the Chair’s permission, but this did not extend to sitting with the Board on a permanent basis; and suggested that if this was to be the case that discussions could have been held prior to the meeting.

1.7            The Chair noted the comments and stated that he believed the matter had been discussed at the pre-meeting but he was happy to discuss it further outside of meeting.  In the meantime he was happy for Councillor Penn to sit with the Board.

1.8            The Chair noted that Mia Brown was attending for Graham Bartlett and Dr. Thallon was attending on behalf of Pennie Ford.

1.9            In accordance with Section 100A(40 of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended), it was considered whether the press and public should be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of any items contained in the agenda, having regard to the nature of the business to be transacted and the nature of the proceedings and the likelihood as to whether, if members of the press and public were present, there would be disclosure to them of confidential or exempt information as defined in Section 100I (1) of the said Act.

1.10         RESOLVED: That the press and public be not excluded from the meeting.