South Wales Evening Post - 10 January 2009
A Swasea councillor has been rapped for failing to declare an interest in a planning application.
Lib-Dem councillor Rob Speht had opportunities to declare an interest at two separate planning meetings, but didn't.
He said he is keen to receive training on the new code of conduct for councillors.
"I have requested training on the new Code of Conduct several times, not just since this ruling," said councillor Speht.
He insisted the complaints about him were politically motivated.
The application concerned car park and playground work at Plasmarl Primary School, where the Landore councillor served as chairman of the board of governors.
The council's standards committee said councillor Speht failed to declare an interest at meetings in October 2007 and January 2008, when he addressed fellow councillors about the application and, in the second meeting, voted in favour of it.
Complaints were subsequently made by two members of the public, both known to councillor Speht.
He told the ombudsman that he didn't think he needed to declare an interest because the application had been submitted by the council, not the school.
The ombudsman took this into account, but said it was reasonable to conclude that he did have a personal interest, because the development was for the benefit of the school and he was a councillor and chairman of the governors.
Councillor Speht told the standards committee that he had acted in good faith.
The committee concluded he had breached the Members' Code of Conduct, but that no action should be taken because the breach was not sufficiently serious.
However, it warned him of the importance of declaring personal interests, and suggested all councillors had training on the new Code of Conduct, which came into force last May.
Councillor Speht said the planning application, which was passed by councillors, had improved safety for children at the school.
