Agenda and minutes

To receive and record apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from Councillor J Lowe (Vice-Chair) and Councillor P Wade.

There were no Chairman’s announcements.

To receive and record any declarations of interest from members present in respect of any of the various matters on the agenda for this meeting.

There were no declarations of interest.

Under Clause 2.12 of Part 2, Section E5 of the Constitution – Terms of Reference for the Standards Committee is to consider amendments to the Constitution and recommend proposals to Full Council for approval except where specifically delegated to the Monitoring Officer.

The Standards Committee to consider setting up a working group of four members of the Standards Committee for the purpose of considering proposed amendments to the Constitution.

The Chair advised the committee that there would be a working group set up to focus attention on any suggested changes to the Constitution. It was said that the chair would exclude themselves from the working group due to potential conflict caused by this current role.

The members put forward were Councillor Patrick, Briggs, Payter and Shimbart. The committee were advised that the membership of this working group will be kept fluid allowing all members an opportunity to sit upon it.

The Monitoring Officer advised the committee that the intention of the working group is to address the amendment suggestions made in the first instance and present its recommendations to the Standards Committee. It was proposed that the first item to be taken to the working group would be around allowing members to join exempt sessions as this has been raised by a fellow Councillor.

The committee RESOLVED that a Working Group be set up to consider any amendments to the constitution throughout the current year.

The committee voted unanimously FOR to set up the Constitution Working Group.

The Committee will consider a report on Councillor Code of Conduct complaints received or ongoing since 1 January 2021.

The appendix to the report is exempt, therefore the Committee will be invited to consider passing a resolution to enter exempt session (agenda item 6) if it wishes to discuss the details contained within it.

The Monitoring Officer introduced the item to the committee confirming that it would be a standing item on the agenda in order to provide a brief overview on the management of councillor conduct complaints made as of 1^st January 2021. Members were provided with an exempt table outlining the current complaints and their progress.

Councillors expressed an interest in discussing the item further. The committee were therefore invited to pass a resolution to enter an exempt session.

Proposed by   Councillor Wilson

Seconded by   Councillor Turner

RECOMMENDED that the press and public be excluded as:

a)    It is likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, or the nature of the proceedings, that if a member of the public were present during the item there would be disclosure to them of exempt information as specified in Part 1 of Schedule 12A (as amended) to the Local Government Act 1972; and

b)    In all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

RESOLVED that the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the minutes headed and numbered as below because:

it was likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the public were present during those minutes there would be disclosure to them of exempt information of the descriptions specified in paragraphs of Part 1 of Schedule 12A (as amended) of the Local Government Act 1972 shown against the heading in question; and

in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

Minute 5 Councillor Code of Conduct Complaints

(Paragraph 1)