Coventry councillors quizzed in licences investigation
THREE Coventry councillors are facing an investigation into allegations they broke rules after charging firms for advice on how to gain council licences.
The Telegraph has learned city council lawyers are quizzing Conservative councillors Gary Ridley, Andrew Williams and David Smith about their licensing consultancy firm ProLicensing.
A disciplinary committee could now launch a full investigation.
Two of them – Coun Smith and Coun Williams – sit on the council’s licensing committee, which decides on applications for licences from firms including shops, pubs and clubs, and taxi firms.
Coventry-based ProLicensing charges firms fees of at least £350 for advice on applying to councils for licences.
Coun Williams (Bablake) and Coun Ridley (Sherbourne) have now stood down as directors at the company, for which they had shareholdings.
All three face allegations they breached the council’s code of conduct, which is partly designed to prevent a “conflict of interest”, where councillors might use their position for personal gain.
Councillors are not automatically banned from setting up, or being involved in, a business offering advice on council matters.
But strict rules require councillors to declare their business interests in meetings if it could be seen to influence their deliberations or voting.
Minutes of several council and committee meetings, seen by the Telegraph, show no record of them declaring an interest when licensing policy or laws were discussed.
It is also alleged that running a licensing business while sitting on the licensing committee would be seen by the public as inappropriate, thereby “bringing the council into disrepute”.
The code of conduct states: “You must not conduct yourself in a manner which could reasonably be regarded as bringing your office or authority into disrepute.”
If the complaint is upheld, they could face anything from a minor rebuke through a formal censure, to being suspended as councillors.
ProLicensing is run by Coun Smith (Sherbourne), who has been deselected as the Tory candidate in May’s elections and is standing down as a councillor. He has also chaired several meetings of a licensing sub-committee.
There is no evidence ProLicensing’s clients included firms which were applying for licences from Coventry City Council.
The company’s website states it is “the fastest growing Licensing Consultancy in Birmingham, Coventry and Warwickshire.”
It continues: “Specialising in Alcohol and Entertainment licensing, we are a one stop shop for all your licensing needs.
“Our experienced consultants are able to advise and assist you with all aspects of your licensing requirements including applications, hearings, reviews and appeals for premises, personal and taxi licences.”
source:
http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/
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