Agenda, decisions and draft minutes

To appoint a Chair from the elected Members of the Committee.

Cllr T Butt Philip having been proposed (Cllr R Wyke) and seconded (Cllr L Leyshon) was elected as the Chair for the meeting.

 Cllr T Butt Philip having been proposed (Cllr R Wyke) and seconded (Cllr L Leyshon) was elected as the Chair for the meeting.

To receive any apologies.

Cllr B Revans (Cllr R Wyke substituting).

To receive and note any declarations of interests in respect of any matters included on the agenda for consideration at this meeting.

(The other registrable interests of Councillors of Somerset Council, arising from membership of City, Town or Parish Councils and other Local Authorities will automatically be recorded in the minutes: City, Town & Parish Twin Hatters - Somerset Councillors 2023 )

The Members present confirmed that although they all knew the persons that had made the voluntary redundancy applications, they had no declarations to make having read the guidance notes regarding conflicts of interests provided by the Monitoring Officer. The Officers present also declared that although some of them knew the person that had made the application, there were no conflicts of interest.

The Chair will allow members of the public, that have registered before the deadline, to ask any questions or make a statement about the matters on the agenda for the meeting.

There were no public questions.

The Committee are requested to consider and agree a resolution under Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 that the press and public be excluded during the remainder of the meeting on the basis that if they were present during the business to be transacted there would be a likelihood of disclosure to them of exempt information of the following description:

· Information relating to any individual.

· Information which is likely to reveal the identity of any individual.

The Committee unanimously agreed, having been proposed (Cllr Leyshon) and seconded (Cllr Wyke), that under Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public be excluded during the remainder of the meeting on the basis that if they were present during the business to be transacted there would be a likelihood of disclosure to them of exempt information of the following description:

· Information relating to any individual

· Information which is likely to reveal the identity of any individual.

-Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information)

To consider the report prepared by the Chief Executive.

Note - the confidential report will only to available to elected Members.

The Special Members Panel agreed:

i)               The case for applying exemption information provisions as set out in the Local Government Act 1972, Schedule 12A and therefore treat the attached confidential Appendix A and supporting appendices (the main report) in confidence, as they contain information relating to any individual, information which is likely to reveal the identity of any individual and commercially sensitive information, and as the case for the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing that information.

ii)             To pass a resolution to exclude the press and public from the meeting where there is any debate or discussion regarding exempt information in Appendix A or its supporting appendices.

iii)            The recommendations as set out in the main report in Appendix A and its supporting appendices.

The Special Members Panel agreed:

i)               The case for applying exemption information provisions as set out in the Local Government Act 1972, Schedule 12A and therefore treat the attached confidential Appendix A and supporting appendices (the main report) in confidence, as they contain information relating to any individual, information which is likely to reveal the identity of any individual and commercially sensitive information, and as the case for the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing that information.

ii)             To pass a resolution to exclude the press and public from the meeting where there is any debate or discussion regarding exempt information in Appendix A or its supporting appendices.

iii)            The recommendations as set out in the main report in Appendix A and its supporting appendices.

To authorise the Chair of the meeting to agree the accuracy and sign the minutes as a correct record following circulation to the Members of the Committee.

The Committee agreed, having been proposed (Cllr L Leyshon) and seconded (Cllr R Wyke), to authorise the Chair of the meeting to sign and authorise the minutes as being a true record of the meeting.

The Committee agreed, having been proposed (Cllr L Leyshon) and seconded (Cllr R Wyke), to authorise the Chair of the meeting to sign and authorise the minutes as being a true record of the meeting.