Lancashire Local Skills Improvement Plan – Conflict of Interest Policy 2023

Purpose

Local Skills Improvement Plan Board (LSIPB) members and North & Western Lancashire Chamber of Commerce staff acting as officers on the LSIPB have a legal obligation to act in the best interests of the organisation, and in accordance with the organisation’s policies and procedures.

A conflict of interest is any situation in which Lancashire LSIPB members or officers personal interests, or interests that they owe to another body, may (or may appear to) influence or affect their decision making.

This policy explains how LSIPB members and officers involved in decision making should declare and manage commercial, actual, and potential conflicts of interest.

LSIPB members and officers are personally responsible for declaring interests and avoiding perception of bias that may or may not affect the Lancashire LSIP and by association North & Western Lancashire Chamber of Commerce’s reputation.

Register of Interests

A Related Party Transactions form must be completed by all LSIPB members and officers.

The Related Party Transactions form for LSIPB members and staff to be reviewed on an annual basis.

Managing Conflicts

At the start of each LSIPB meeting the Chair will request all board members, officers and other persons present declare if they have a conflict of interest in any items on the agenda.

Should a conflict be identified then non-conflicted members will consider what the risk is to decision making. If the conflicted members interest is a low or high risk and what steps need to be taken to manage the conflict.

Steps to manage the conflict may include excluding the conflicted member or officers from discussions and should be asked to leave the room at this point or excluding the conflicted member or officers from decision-making in relation to the matter while the conflict exists.

In the case of a conflict of interest that is of a sensitive nature, any information deemed as sensitive will be redacted from all publicised minutes.

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