§ Mr. Gordon PrenticeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which members of Pendle council have sought a dispensation from him to vote on the sale of Burnley and Pendle Transport; and to whom he proposes to grant such a dispensation and for what reasons. [8130]
§ Sir Paul BeresfordI have received such applications on behalf of Councillors Ian Gilhespy and Gill Gilhespy. Both applications to vote were declined having regard to our policy of granting such dispensations only in cases where either at least half of the council or committee concerned would he otherwise disabled by pecuniary interests or where such disabilities would otherwise upset the elected party balance in the relevant council or committee. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport has granted an application for Councillor John David to vote at meetings of the authority's policy committee, but not of the full council, having regard to his policy on councillor-directors of local authority-owned bus companies.