The Chief Officer Appointments Sub-Committee of Newham Council met on 17 July 2025 to discuss declarations of interest and the appointment of a chief officer. The meeting was scheduled to take place at the Old Town Hall Stratford.

Appointment of Chief Officer

The main item for discussion was the appointment of a chief officer. The agenda and reports pack provided to the attendees did not specify which chief officer post was to be appointed. This was listed as a restricted document.

Declarations of Interest

Councillors were reminded of the need to declare any interests they may have in matters being considered at the meeting.

The Public Reports Pack included guidance on what constitutes a disclosable pecuniary interest (DPI), a non-disclosable pecuniary interest, and a non-pecuniary interest.

The guidance stated:

If you have a DPI in any matter on the agenda you must not participate in any discussion or vote on that matter. If you do so without a prior Dispensation (see below) you may be committing a criminal offence, as well as a Breach of the Code of Conduct.

The guidance also clarified what might be considered a non-disclosable pecuniary interest, stating:

A decision in relation to that business might reasonably be regarded as affecting your well-being or financial standing, or a member of your family, or a person with whom you have a close association with to a greater extent than it would affect the majority of the Council taxpayers, ratepayers or inhabitants of the ward or electoral area for which you have been elected or otherwise of the authority's administrative area.

The Localism Act 2011 covers DPIs in detail, and breaches of the law relating to these may be a criminal offence.

The guidance also noted that the Monitoring Officer had granted general dispensations to all members until the Annual Council meeting in 2026, meaning members would not need to leave the meeting if their DPI related to:

• An interest common to the majority of inhabitants in their ward.
• An interest so remote that it is not likely to prejudice their judgement of the public interest.
• Council housing unless related to their own particular tenancy.
• School meals and/or transport unless relating to their own child's school.
• Statutory sick pay for members.
• Members allowances.
• Setting Council Tax or precept.
• Agreeing any Local Council Tax Benefit Scheme.
• Interests arising from membership of an outside body to which the authority has appointed or proposes to appoint them.
• The Local Government Pension Scheme unless relating specifically to their own circumstances.