Two Pendle Councillors have asked the Council to find a way around independent legal advice given regarding conflicts of interest.
At the recent Accounts and Audit Committee - at which only two Councillors attended - attendees were discussing the latest audit from Grant Thornton which had raised concerns about a conflict of interest with Councillors who were also Directors at Pendle's joint venture companies, such as PEARL and PenBrook.
The issue regarding Councillors following good practice and legal advice for declarations of interest has been brought up as a serious concern by the auditors, as well as the residents of Pendle, for many years.
During 2025 Pendle Council says it commissioned independent legal advice regarding Councillors who are also Directors of these companies, taking part in meetings, discussions and voting.
The legal advice received stated that Councillors who are Directors in these companies should make a declaration of interest at the start of the meeting, and then when the relevant item comes for discussion, they should leave the room and take no part in the discussion or voting.
In August 2025, the Council Executive passed a motion confirming they would:
(3)
"appropriately declare their interests at all relevant council meetings and comply with the Code as regards their not participating in discussions and voting on matters in which they have declared an interest."
 |
| The Council Executive agreed to the legal advice in August 2025. |
However, at the February 11, 2026 meeting the two Councillors in attendance; Chair Ruby Anwar (Ind) and David Cockburn-Price (Con), proposed and passed a motion asking the Monitoring Officer to:
"see if there was a legitimate way that a Councillor/Director of a joint venture company could declare an interest in an item of business but remain in the meeting to aid discussion."
 |
| Two Councillors pass a motion (2) to find a way around the legal advice. |
This motion was passed by the two Councillors despite the Director of Resources, Karen Spencer, stating that the legal advice was clear.
 |
| Director of Resources states the legal advice is clear. |
It seems to these Councillors at least, the legal advice they were given wasn't what they wanted to hear, and have asked the Council to see if there is a way to legally subvert it.
Pendle Insider has written to the Council to ask if they will attempt to look for ways around the legal advice given. We await a response from the Council.