The Local Government (Executive Arrangements) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015

CHAPTER 3 Recording of executive decisions and inspection of related papers and documents

Recording of executive decisions made at meetings

25.—(1) As soon as reasonably practicable after any meeting of a decision-making body at which an executive decision was made, the proper officer, or if the proper officer was not present at the meeting, the person chairing, must ensure that a written statement is produced for every executive decision made which includes the information specified in paragraph (2).

(2) The statement referred to in paragraph (1) must include—

(a) a record of the decision including the date it was made;

(b) a record of the reasons for the decision;

(c) details of any alternative options considered and rejected by the decision-making body at the meeting at which the decision was made;

(d) a record of any conflict of interest relating to the matter decided which is declared by any member of the decision-making body which made the decision; and

(e) in respect of any declared conflict of interest, any note of dispensation granted by the Department.

(3) For the purposes of paragraph (1) “person chairing” means the person actually chairing or the person nominated to chair that meeting.

(4) Executive decisions made by decision-making bodies are prescribed decisions for the purposes of section 34(3) of the 2014 Act (meetings and access to information etc.).

Recording of executive decisions made by officers

26.—(1) As soon as reasonably practicable after an officer has made a decision which is an executive decision, the officer must produce a written statement which must include—

(a) a record of the decision including the date it was made;

(b) a record of the reasons for the decision;

(c) details of any alternative options considered and rejected by the officer when making the decision;

(d) a record of any conflict of interest declared by an executive member, who is consulted by the officer, which relates to the decision; and

(e) in respect of any declared conflict of interest, any note of dispensation granted by the Department.

Inspection of documents following executive decisions

27.—(1) Subject to regulation 32, after a meeting of a decision-making body at which an executive decision has been made, or after an officer has made an executive decision, the proper officer must ensure that a copy of—

(a) any records prepared in accordance with regulations 25 or 26; and

(b) any report considered at the meeting or, as the case may be, considered by the officer and relevant to a decision recorded in accordance with regulations 25 or 26 or, where only part of the report is relevant to such a decision, that part,

must be made open to inspection by members of the public, as soon as reasonably practicable, at the offices of the relevant council, and on that council’s website.

(2) Where a request on behalf of a newspaper is made for a copy of any of the documents available for public inspection under paragraph (1), those documents must be supplied for the benefit of the newspaper by the relevant council on payment by the newspaper to the council of postage, copying or other necessary charge for transmission.