Decision details

A)        Declarations of Interest

Members were reminded that any declarations of interest in respect of any business set out in the agenda, should be declared as either a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest or Declarable Interest and were required to notify the Chairman of the nature of any interest declared at the commencement of the relevant item on the agenda.  Members that declared a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest must withdraw from the meeting for the duration of the item. Members that  declared a Declarable Interest, who wished to exercise a ‘Councillor Speaking Right’, must declare this at the same time as the interest, move to the public area before speaking to the item and then leave the room before the debate and vote.

(B)       Dispensations

The Chairman invited the Deputy Monitoring Officer to advise on the following dispensations granted:

Councillor Judi Billing – as a Director of Hitchin Initiative

Councillor Terry Hone – as a Trustee and Board Member of Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation

Councillor Lynda Needham - as a Trustee and Board Member of Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation

(C)       Voting

Members were reminded to remain in the room throughout the item of business to ensure that a vote could be cast.

(D)       Rules of Debate

In accordance with the Constitution Members were requested to ensure that no speech exceeded five minutes without the consent of the Chairman.

(E)       Car Park

As notified in the Members Information Service note last Friday, in response to escalating anti-social behaviour, the multi-storey car park in Hitchin and Letchworth would close early from Monday 25 March 2019. The Lairage car park in Hitchin would close at 18:45 each evening and the Letchworth multi-storey would close at 19:00. Users of the car park would be notified via notices in the car park, Facebook, twitter and the Council’s website, which would include alternative parking locations.  In the forthcoming Members Information Service further details would be provided of where Councillors could park when attending evening meetings at the District Council Offices. The early closure was intended to be a short-term measure, but would remain in place until further notice.

(F)       Multi Cultural Event

The Chairman of the Council, in association with North Herts Inter Faith Forum and Community Groups was holding a Multi Cultural Celebration on Saturday 6 April 2019 at 18:00 until 20:00 in Hitchin Town Hall.  The event will include great entertainment, samosas and sandwiches.

Tickets were available from Committee Services at a cost of £7.00 per person.

(G)       Refreshments

As the meeting was an Extraordinary, single agenda item meeting,  no refreshments were provided following the meeting.