Issue - meetings

1.1            This report explains the Council’s arrangements for the granting of indemnities to officers and Members to cover the risks of claims which may be made against them personally or other losses or liabilities they might incur when representing the Council on outside bodies or when carrying out special roles. 

RESOLVED:

-           approved the arrangements set out in this report for the granting of indemnities to officers and Members representing the Council in a decision-making capacity such as directors or trustees on the boards of outside bodies or as members of the management committees of outside bodies;

-           approved the arrangements set out in this report for the granting of indemnities to officers and Members carrying out special roles which give rise to personal liability over and above the exercise of their other responsibilities;

-           approved the wording of the indemnity as set out in Appendix 1 to this report and that the Chief Finance Officer be authorised to make changes from time to time provided they are consistent with the overall arrangements approved by Cabinet;

-           authorised the Chief Finance Officer to decide on a case by case basis whether it is appropriate to pay any sums upfront for the defence of criminal proceedings or await the conclusion of such proceedings before making any payment; and

-           approved the existing and future officer and Member appointments to outside bodies and special roles be in accordance with the arrangements set out in this report.

Councillor Butt, Leader of the Council, introduced the report which explained the Council’s arrangements for the granting of indemnities to officers and members to cover the risks of claims which may be made against them personally or other losses or liabilities they might incur when representing the Council on outside bodies or when carrying out special roles.

The aim for providing the indemnity was that officers and Members should not be deterred from seeking public office or participating in outside bodies or carrying out special roles by the personal liability they might incur while acting on behalf of the Council.

RESOLVED:

(i)         that approval be given to the arrangements set out in the report from the Chief Legal Officer for the granting of indemnities to officers and members representing the council in a decision-making capacity such as directors or trustees on the boards of outside bodies or as members of the management committees of outside bodies;

(ii)        that the arrangements set out in this report for the granting of indemnities to officers and members carrying out special roles which give rise to personal liability over and above the exercise of their other responsibilities, be approved;

(iii)       that approval be given to the wording of the indemnity as set out in Appendix 1 to the report and that the Chief Finance Officer be authorised to make changes from time to time provided they were consistent with the overall arrangements approved by Cabinet;

(iv)       that the Chief Finance Officer be authorised to decide on a case by case basis whether it was appropriate to pay any sums upfront for the defence of criminal proceedings or await the conclusion of such proceedings before making any payment; and

(v)        that the existing and future officer and member appointments to outside bodies and special roles be in accordance with the arrangements set out in this report.