Minutes:
Councillor R Potts explained that he felt the Investigative Hub Update item should be considered in public, and not in closed session. He added that the overspend of around £5.1 million as reported in the local press equated to 108 years’ worth of a Police Officer’s wage and noted the precept had been raised three times within recent years.
The Senior Lawyer Commercial and Corporate Governance noted that the report had been considered by the Monitoring Officer and she had held a firm view that there were commercial consideration and ongoing matters that could be prejudiced and therefore the report was listed under the exempt part of the agenda.
Councillor R Potts noted he did not feel there was any commercially sensitive information as far as he could see and felt the matter should be discussed in public. Mr R Rodiss seconded Councillor R Potts and noted he felt that the public had a right to have the information in terms of this huge project. Upon a vote being taken the motion was lost. The Chair noted that the meeting would move into closed session.
Resolved:
That under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of the Act.