Councillor Cook stated that as a Council appointed trustee for the Oxford Preservation Trust and as a member of the Oxford Civic Society, he had taken no part in those organisations’ discussions or decision making regarding the application before the Committee, that he was approaching the application with an open mind and would listen to all the arguments and weigh up all the relevant facts before coming to a decision.

Councillor Wolff stated that Oxford North & West Green Party had submitted a comment on the application before the Committee. He was not a member of that group, had never attended a meeting of that group, and had not discussed the application with any member of it.  This matter has been discussed with the Monitoring Officer, who had cleared his participation at this meeting.  He had read the officer's report with an open mind, and approached the meeting in the same spirit.

Councillor Donnelly stated that  he was currently studying at St John’s College but had no pecuniary interest or influence  in the matter,  approached it with an open mind, would listen to all the arguments and weigh up all the relevant facts before coming to a decision. The Monitoring officer confirmed that it had been previously determined that Councillors were not prohibited from taking part in planning decisions relating to  the University or its Colleges with which they had a connection with the proviso that they had no influence over or financial interest in the matter.  This was further reviewed and re-affirmed following a concern raised by an objector to the application.

Councillor Gotch stated that as a member of the Oxford Civic Society, he had taken no part in that organisation’s discussions or decision making regarding the application before the Committee. He had  been in receipt of evidence provided by local residents but had not attended any of their meetings to discuss the application which he approached with an open mind.