Agenda and minutes

(Assistant to the Chief Executive) To report the attendance of any substitute members for the meeting.

It was noted that Councillor Mrs J Lea was substituting for Councillor R D'Souza.

To declare interests in any item on the agenda.

Pursuant to the Council's Code of Member Conduct, Councillors Mrs R Gadsby and Mrs J Lea declared personal interests in agenda item 5 (Application No 11/2007) by virtue of being members of the Waltham Abbey Citizens' Advice Bureau Committee.  The Councillors determined that their interests were not prejudicial and that they would remain in the meeting for the duration of the consideration and determination of the application.

Exclusion: To consider whether, under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public and press should be excluded from the meeting for the items of business set out below on grounds that they will involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the following paragraph(s) of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act (as amended) or are confidential under Section 100(A)(2):

The Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006, which came into effect on 1 March 2006, requires the Council to consider whether maintaining the exemption listed above outweighs the potential public interest in disclosing the information. Any member who considers that this test should be applied to any currently exempted matter on this agenda should contact the proper officer at least 24 hours prior to the meeting.

Confidential Items Commencement: Paragraph 9 of the Council Procedure Rules contained in the Constitution require:

(1)        All business of the Council requiring to be transacted in the presence of the press and public to be completed by 10.00 p.m. at the latest.

(2)        At the time appointed under (1) above, the Chairman shall permit the completion of debate on any item still under consideration, and at his or her discretion, any other remaining business whereupon the Council shall proceed to exclude the public and press.

(3)        Any public business remaining to be dealt with shall be deferred until after the completion of the private part of the meeting, including items submitted for report rather than decision.

Background Papers:  Paragraph 8 of the Access to Information Procedure Rules of the Constitution define background papers as being documents relating to the subject matter of the report which in the Proper Officer's opinion:

(a)            disclose any facts or matters on which the report or an important part of the report is based;  and

(b)        have been relied on to a material extent in preparing the report and does not include published works or those which disclose exempt or confidential information (as defined in Rule 10) and in respect of executive reports, the advice of any political advisor.

Inspection of background papers may be arranged by contacting the officer responsible for the item.

RESOLVED:

That, in accordance with Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public and press be excluded from the meeting for the item of business set out below as it would involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the paragraphs of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act indicated and the exemption is considered to outweigh the potential public interest in disclosing the information:

AgendaSubject Exempt Information

Item NoParagraph Numbers

5Application No 11/2207 1 and 2

To consider a restricted report.

Members were advised that the applicant had stated on his application form to the Panel that he intended to attend the meeting in order to present his case.  The Panel noted that the applicant had been advised to attend at 4.00pm but was currently not present at the Civic Offices.

The Panel adjourned the meeting to enable the Democratic Services Manager to attempt to contact the applicant by telephone.

The meeting was reconvened and the Democratic Services Manager advised that despite trying several telephone numbers, he had been unable to contact the applicant.

            RESOLVED:

            (1)            The consideration of application 11/2007 be deferred to the next meeting of the Panel on 18 October 2007 at 4.30pm;

            (2)            That the applicant be advised that his application may be determined in his absence if he is not present at 4.30pm on 18 October 2007.