Location: Kadoma Room, Daneshill House
Present: Members: Mr D. Morgan (Independent Chair), Mr S. Gillies (Independent Member), Councillors, Mrs J.E. Lloyd, M. Notley and K. Vale
Others:
Duration:
Start Time: 6.00p.m.
End Time: 7.15p.m.
Status: Noted
Business: There were no apologies for absence and no declarations of interest.
Decision:
Status: Agreed
Business:
Decision: It was RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee, held on Monday, 7th July 2003, be confirmed and signed by the Chair as a correct record.
Status: Noted
Business: Paul Frogatt, Borough Solicitor presented a report to the Committee advising on progress in implementing the Ethical Governance Audit.
Members noted that various recommendations made by the Committee had been implemented relating to the adoption of the Member/ Officer protocol, anti-fraud and corruption policy, Members handbook and Officer delegation.
The Committee were shown a draft version of an information card which would be distributed to Members relating to the Member's Code of Conduct. The following comments were made:-
* The type font should be larger.
* The title 'Guidance for Member's on Code of Practice' should be clearly stated.
* Suggestion of a change to the logo to a politically neutral coloured umbrella.
* Specific naming of the Monitoring Officer for ease of reference.
Members of the Committee agreed to look at the text of the Code of Conduct and let Paul Frogatt have any comments.
In relation to Access to Information, Members were informed that the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) had established a Review Group to consider the issue and it was therefore proposed that the review of this aspect of the Constitution be delayed pending the reports and proposals of the ODPM.
Decision: It was RESOLVED:-
1) That progress on implementing the Ethical Governance Audit and the adoption of the Standards Committee recommendations by Full Council be noted.
ii) That the review of the Access to Information provisions in the Constitution be deferred until the outcome of the Government's review of the relevant legislation is known.
Status: Agreed
Business: Paul Frogatt, Borough Solicitor introduced a report setting out procedures for the Standards Committee and for Officers in terms of dealing with the local determination of complaints against Members.
Members were advised that the Standards Board for England had issued guidance for Monitoring Officers and Standards Committees which recommended that there should be effective procedures in place to make sure that Standards Committees could determine cases fairly and consistently.
Members were presented with a model procedure for these hearings and noted that unless there was good reason for doing so, all hearings would be held in public.
Decision: It was RESOLVED that the procedures for local Standards Committee hearings as set out in the Appendices to the report be adopted.
Status: Agreed
Business: Paul Frogatt submitted a report advising of a review of the Register of Members' Interests, Declaration of Gifts and Hospitality and signing of the Code of Conduct. In December 2003, the two Independent Members of this Committee inspected the Register and Declarations and concluded that they were generally satisfactory. Some detailed points emerged from the review and it was RESOLVED:-
Decision: i) That the book of Declarations of Gifts and Hospitality should be physically kept with the general register of Members' interests and signed codes of conduct.
ii) That in future, Members should be encouraged to indicate clearly negative declarations and not to leave a blank box.
iii) That the Borough Solicitor write each year to Members after the Annual Council Meeting to request that they update their Declaration of Interest forms.
Status: Noted
Business: None.
Decision:
Status: Noted
Business: Not required.
Decision:
Status: Noted
Business: None.
Decision:
Status: Noted
Business: None.
Decision: