Further consideration of Bill, as amended in the Public Bill Committee
[Relevant documents: Second Report of the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee, The Funding and Sustainability of Local Government Finance, HC 514, and the Government response, HC 1355; Oral evidence taken before the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee on 25 February and 28 January, on English Devolution, HC 600.]
New Clause 45
Publication of addresses of members etc in authority registers
“(1) In section 100G (principal councils to publish additional information) of LGA 1972, in subsection (5), omit “, in relation to a principal council in Wales,”.
(2) The Localism Act 2011 is amended as follows.
(3) In section 29 (register of interests), in subsection (8), for “section 32(2)” substitute “sections 32(2) and 32A”.
(4) In section 31 (pecuniary interests in matters considered at meetings or by a single member), in subsection (2), for “section 32(3)” substitute “sections 32(3) and 32A(9)”.
(5) After section 32 (sensitive interests) insert—
“32A Residential addresses
(1) This section applies where a member or co-opted member of a relevant authority notifies the authority’s monitoring officer of a disclosable pecuniary interest that includes their usual residential address.
(2) Subject to subsections (3) to (7), the relevant authority’s public register must not include that address.
(3) The member or co-opted member may request that their usual residential address be included in that public register.
(4) The member or co-opted member may withdraw a request made under subsection (3).
(5) A request under subsection (3) or a withdrawal of a request under subsection (4) must be made by written notice to the relevant authority’s monitoring officer.
(6) Where the member or co-opted member withdraws a request under subsection (4), the monitoring officer must remove the member or co-opted member’s usual residential address from the public register.
(7) Withdrawal of a request under subsection (4) does not affect the power of the member or co-opted member to make another request under subsection (3).
(8) Where a member or co-opted member’s usual residential address is excluded from a public register under this section, that public register must state that the member or co-opted member has an interest the address of which is withheld under this section.