Agenda item

            Councillor Boyle declared an interest in relation to the item under the heading “Amendment to Standing Order 37(d)”, in that he owned a number of HMO’s within the City but remained in the Chamber as the matter did not become the subject of discussion.

            The following Members declared an interest in respect of the minute of the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee minute of 14th December, under the heading “Motion – Social Investment Fund” and left the meeting whilst the matter was being discussed:

·        Councillor Reynolds – in that he was a member of the North Belfast Social Investment Fund Panel;

·        Councillor Graham – insofar as she worked for Gems NI, which was the delivery agent for a Social Investment Fund programme; 

·        Councillor Garrett - in that he was a member of the West Belfast Partnership Board, which had received funding from the Social Investment Fund;

·        Councillor Walsh - insofar as he was the Chair of Tar Anall Management Committee and a member of Coiste na nIarchimí, both of which had employees which had been funded through the Social Investment Fund;

·        Councillor Beattie – in that he was a member of the West Belfast Partnership Board;

·        Councillors Carson, Corr, Magee, Magennis, McAteer and O’Donnell - insofar as they were members of Partnership Boards or Social Investment Fund Panels;

·        Councillor Corr Johnston – in that her wife was on the Board of Directors of the McDonald Centre, which had received funding from the Social Investment Fund; 

·        Councillor Kyle – insofar that he was a member of the EastSide Partnership;

·        Alderman Kingston – insofar as he was a member of the West Belfast Social Investment Fund Steering Group;

·        Councillor Hutchinson – in that he was a member of the Shankill Partnership Board, which had received funding from the Social Investment Fund prior to him joining;

·        Councillor Dudgeon – in that he was a member of the South Belfast Partnership Board and the South Belfast Social Investment Panel;

·        Councillor Johnston – insofar as he was a member of the EastSide Partnership;

·        Alderman Haire – in that he was a member of the EastSide Partnership;

·        Councillor Armitage – insofar as he was a member of the EastSide Partnership;

·        Councillor McCusker – in that he was the Chair of the PIPS charity, which had received funding through the Social Investment Fund;

·        Councillor Long – insofar as he was a member of the EastSide Partnership;

·        The Deputy Lord Mayor (Councillor McDonough-Brown) in that he was a member of the EastSide Partnership;

·        Councillor Newton – in that he was a member of the EastSide Partnership;

·        Alderman Sandford – in that he was a member of the EastSide Partnership;

·        Councillor Collins – insofar as he was a member of the West Belfast Partnership Board but remained in the Chamber whilst the matter was being discussed; and

·        Councillor Lyons - in that in that he was a Member of the South Belfast Partnership Board but remained in the Chamber whilst the matter was being discussed. 

            Aldermen Copeland, Haire and Rodgers declared an interest in relation to the item contained within the minutes of the People and Communities Committee, under the heading “Request for the Use of Parks and Facilities”, insofar as it related to the use by the Belfast Junior Orange County of CS Lewis Square, in that they were members of the County Grand Orange Lodge of Belfast, but remained in the Chamber as the matter did not become the subject of discussion.   

            Councillor Dorrian declared an interest in relation to the item contained within the minutes of the People and Communities Committee, under the heading “Burial Provision Update”, in that he had had dealings with the applicant before becoming an Elected Member and left the Chamber whilst the matter was under consideration.

            Alderman Rodgers, together with Councillors Dudgeon and Johnston, declared an interest in respect of the motion on the Half Fare SmartPass Scheme, on the basis that they possessed a SmartPass and left the Chamber whilst the motion was being discussed.

            Councillor Mullan sought clarification on whether she was required, as a member of the Planning Committee, to declare an interest in the motion under the heading “Tribeca Belfast”, given that the development could be subject to a planning application at some point in the future.

            The Chief Executive confirmed that the aforementioned motion was not a material planning consideration and, as long as the wording was adhered to, there would be no conflict of interest for those members of the Planning Committee.