Back in November 2010 we published an article about the Isle of Wight Council’s Members’ interests and hospitality registry.
It’s a list where the elected members disclose information that could be relevant to the decisions that they make in the council (full details below).
At the time of the publishing the article we said we’d ask the Isle of Wight council if they’d publishing online, rather than the current method of having to travel to County Hall and request to see it.
The reasoning
We did get a reply, but in an oversight, didn’t publish it, so here it is.
Isle of Wight Council Director of Corporate Services Davina Fiore said “There is no requirement for this information to be available online. To publish the data online would require initial and ongoing staff resource which we do not have in the current circumstances, particularly given that the information is freely available in any case.”
We’re not sure what format the register is held in currently, but if it’s been prepared on a computer, it would seem a little churlish to use the excuse to expensive as would just be linked from their Website. Heck, if that were a problem, we’d be happy to host it.
We’ve asked for further info today and will let you know what we hear back.
What needs to be registered
Councillors are required by law to declare certain interests when they become a councillor. These interests include the name of their employer, details of any land or premises they occupy within the Island, interests in companies and securities in which they have substantial interests which operate in the borough and other financial interests.
They are also required to declare any gifts or hospitality they have been offered, worth over £25 (whether accepted or not).
Full details of what’s involved is in the Code of Conduct section of the council’s Constitution. We’ve embedded the latest (Jan 11) version for you below.
