A total of 20 councillors of the 50 elected to SLDC declared an interest at an extraordinary meeting of the council, held last Friday, to discuss Mr Brooke's recommendations. Six more were absent leaving just 21 councillors to consider the matter. Below is the list of the names and the reasons why they left. Also included is the list of council officers who declared an interest.

n Members who sent apologies to the extraordinary meeting because they would have had to declare a personal or prejudicial interest and leave the chamber during discussion and voting: Roger Bingham chairman of the general purposes committee 2003/2004. Member of general purposes committee, and submitted evidence to the independent person.

Simon Butterfield - member of general purposes and submitted evidence to the independent person.

Howard Martin - member of first Preliminary Investigation Committee (PIC).

Barclay Stainton - member of Cabinet and submitted evidence to the independent person.

Ian Stewart - member of general purposes committee.

David Vatcher - member of general purposes committee.

Robin Yates member of second PIC.

n Members who declared a personal or prejudicial interest and had to leave the chamber during discussions and voting: Kathleen Atkinson - member of second PIC.

Bob Barker - cabinet member and made a statement to the first PIC.

Jennifer Borer - member of first PIC.

Paul Braithwaite - member of Cabinet.

Avril Dobson - member of Cabinet.

Jean Ewing - chairman of first PIC.

Colin Hodgson - member of Cabinet, and gave evidence to the independent person.

Janette Jenkinson - chairman of second PIC.

Phil Lister - member of general purposes committee.

Richard Rollins - member of general purposes committee and gave evidence to the independent person.

Andy Shine - member of Cabinet and gave evidence to the independent person.

Graham Vincent - member of general purposes committee and gave evidence to the independent person.

Brenda Woof - member of Cabinet and gave evidence to the independent person.

n Councillors who declared a personal interest but remained in the chamber during voting and discussion: Robin Brown - new member of general purposes committee and was present when the decision was taken to continue with the suspension.

Kevin Lancaster Cabinet member.

n Officers who had to declare an interest: Mike Jones, acting chief executive, declared a personal and prejudicial interest because he had given evidence to the PIC and independent person and left the chamber during discussion and voting.

Debbie Storr, solicitor to the council, declared a personal interest because she had submitted a statement to the independent person.

Jackie Evans, committee manager, declared a personal interest because she had minuted the PIC meetings.

Helen Smith declared a personal interest because she had submitted a statement to the independent person.