Agenda item

Mr J Campion had declared a DPI as Police and Crime Commissioner and withdrew from the meeting during the consideration of this item.

The Council had before it a Notice of Motion standing in the names of Mrs E B Tucker, Mrs F M Oborski, Mr M E Jenkins and Mrs S Askin.

The Motion was moved by Mrs E B Tucker and seconded by Professor J W Raine who both spoke in favour of it.

The Council agreed to deal with this matter on the day.

An amendment was moved by Mr P M McDonald and seconded by Mr L C R Mallett that the final sentence of the Motion be replaced with "we call upon the Police and Crime Commissioner to resign his position as a County Councillor in order to prevent any possible risk of a conflict of interest".

The Head of Legal and Democratic Services advised that the amendment was procedurally valid.  Council then debated the amendment and the with the agreement of the signatories present this amendment was incorporated into the Motion as an addition, the altered Motion becoming the substantive Motion and reading:

"This Council notes with concern that the newly-elected Police and Crime Commissioner continues to occupy seats both on this Council and Wyre Forest District Council, thus making it difficult to fulfil the ability of the County and District Councillors on the Police and Crime Panel to hold the Police and Crime Commissioner to account.

We call upon the Police and Crime Commissioner to explain to this Council how we can hold him to account whilst he is still a member.

We call upon the Police and Crime Commissioner to resign his position as a County Councillor in order to prevent any possible risk of conflict of interest."

A debate ensued during which the following principal points were made.  Those speaking in favour of the Motion:

• suggested there was a very clear conflict of interest and the PCC should have resigned his County Councillor seat at the same time he resigned from the Cabinet

• believed it was not possible to carry out this high profile role and still serve the people in his electoral division

• made clear that the costs of any by-election were offset by the need to maintain the integrity of politicians and the democratic process

• Mr Campion's absence from the Chamber was a clear indication of the conflict of interest which existed and which he clearly acknowledged

·         it was surprising that the law did not disqualify a PCC from being a councillor.

Those speaking against the Motion:

• suggested that this was political posturing and the reality was the electors had voted for Mr Campion as their PCC and also as their local councillor

• many councillors were dual-hatted and it was hypocritical to suggest this situation was somehow different or special

• potentially a stand-alone by-election would cost £20,000 and seemed unnecessary as the PCC said he was not standing at the next County Council elections in May 2017

• the PCC did not act in a political manner and his positions held elsewhere were not relevant.

On a named note the Motion as altered was lost.

Those voting in favour were:  Ms P Agar, Mrs S Askin, Mr J Baker, Mr C J Bloore, Mr P Denham, Mr A Fry, Ms P A Hill, Mr M E Jenkins, Mr R C Lunn, Mr L C R Mallett, Mr P M McDonald, Mrs F M Oborski, Prof J W Raine, Mr R J Sutton, Mr J W R Thomas, Mrs E B Tucker, Mr R M Udall, Mr G J Vickery and Mr T A L Wells (19).

Those voting against were:  Mr A P Miller, Mr A A J Adams, Mr R C Adams, Mr A T Amos, Mr R W Banks, Mr M L Bayliss, Mr A N Blagg, Mrs S L Blagg, Mr P J Bridle, Mr S J M Clee, Mrs P E Davey, Mr N Desmond, Mrs L R Duffy, Mrs E A Eyre, Mr S E Geraghty, Mrs J M L A Griffiths, Mr P Grove, Mr A I Hardman, Mr M J Hart, Mrs L C Hodgson, Mr C G Holt, Mr I Hopwood, Mr A A Muir, Dr K A Pollock, Mr D W Prodger, Mr A C Roberts, Mr J H Smith and Mr C B Taylor (28).

Mrs A T Hingley, Mr S R Peters, Mrs M A Rayner and Mr G C Yarranton abstained (4).