To receive declarations by members and officers of the existence and nature of any personal or prejudicial interests in matters on this agenda.
Minutes:
2.1 Councillor Tony Devenish explained that a week before the meeting, all four Members of the Committee were provided with a full set of papers including a detailed officer’s report on each application; together with bundles of every single letter or e-mail received in respect of every application, including all letters and e-mails containing objections or giving support. Members of the Committee read through everything in detail prior to the meeting. Accordingly, if an issue or comment made by a correspondent was not specifically mentioned at this meeting in the officers’ presentation or by Members of the Committee, it did not mean that the issue had been ignored. Members will have read about the issue and comments made by correspondents in the papers read prior to the meeting.
2.2 Councillor Devenish also declared that in respect of item 13, he knew staff at Policy Exchange who had made a representation.
2.3 Councillor Jonathan Glanz declared that he knew various amenity and residents’ groups as he has encountered many of them and their main figures over the years, including South East Bayswater Residents Association, The Marylebone Association, The St Marylebone Society and those in his Ward. Councillor Glanz thenmade the following declarations as they related to the specific applications on the agenda:
Item 7 – that the application was in his ward.
Item 8 – that the application was in his ward.
Item 13 - that he knew Dean Godson and some other staff at Policy Exchange who had made a representation.
2.4 Councillor Jason Williams declared that in his capacity as a Ward Councillor he is approached regarding planning applications, however he does not comment or specify a view on them. Councillor Williams also declared that he is a Member of Belgravia Neighbours Forum as part of his duties as a Ward Councillor.
2.5 Councillor Angela Harvey declared that any members or former members who had or would make representations were her friends. Councillor Harvey then made the following further declarations as they related to the specific applications on the agenda:
Item 2 – that she had received hospitality at Lords Cricket Ground when she had been Lord Mayor.
Item 13 – that she knew staff at Policy Exchange who had made a representation.
Item 14 – that one of the objectors was a CityWest Homes tenant, of which she was a non-Executive Director on the Board.
Councillor Angela Harvey regarded none of the above as a personal or prejudicial interest, however she had made these declarations for clarity.
2.6 Councillor Gotz Mohindra declared that in respect of item 2, he had recevied hospitality from Lords Cricket Ground whilst carrying out his duties as a Ward Councillor.
Before considering the applications on the agenda, the Chairman stated that the publication of the reports and agenda for this meeting were delayed due to the absence of key administrative staff, which meant that the required 5 days’ notice had not been achieved for the publication of the reports and the agenda. However, the agenda and reports were still published promptly the following morning of the 5 day notice. Despite this, he stated that he was of the view that the committee should consider these reports due to the special circumstances that not to would cause unnecessary delay to the consideration of the applications, particularly as the delay was only minor and prior to this all the consultation had been completed as set out in the reports.