Conflicts of interest are still a debate
Town Centre Partnership chief executive Jack Honeybill's insistence that his paid role there does not preclude him as a member of Environment from taking unbiased decisions on whether the Leale's Yard development should go ahead in St Sampson's is an interesting illustration of government in a small island.
Town Centre Partnership chief executive Jack Honeybill's insistence that his paid role there does not preclude him as a member of Environment from taking unbiased decisions on whether the Leale's Yard development should go ahead in St Sampson's is an interesting illustration of government in a small island.
Conflicts – or apparent conflicts – of interest are always going to arise and it is how they are declared and the perception of bias is managed that matters.
The absence of clear policies was a trigger-point for the PEH clinical block row that became known as Fallagate and which led to the Wales Audit Office recommending a debate on the general issues of deputies' interests and, in particular, the compatibility of political, business and other interests.
That has not happened, so perhaps it is not surprising in the absence of a code that Deputy Honeybill believes he can carry on while his fellow Environment member Jenny Tasker has excluded herself as a director of the Co-op, which is behind the Leale's Yard proposal.
To some extent, it is difficult to understand why Deputy Honeybill believes he is not conflicted. One of the Town Centre Partnership's projects is the regeneration of Mill Street/Mansell Street and, as a result of information supplied by States departments, he has visited every property there and spoken to tenants and retailers.
Will they think the economic regeneration of their patch is best served by Deputy Honeybill voting in favour of a large retail expansion in Sampson's? But if he ignores their comments on the effects of rival retail competition, is he not doing a disservice to his role on the partnership itself?
Perhaps more relevant to the debate on business interests is why a member would want to remain involved on a political board when such issues are raised.
The audit office's latest report, on corporate governance, is critical of States members meddling – blurring the line between operational and strategic matters and becoming too hands-on with the day-to-day work.
Asked for examples, they confirmed two suggestions put forward by reporters: the Environment Department as planning authority and Housing – but would not say whether these were the worst.
