MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE STANDARDS COMMITTEE HELD IN COMMITTEE ROOM 1, COUNCIL OFFICES, CORKS LANE, HADLEIGH ON FRIDAY, 9 JULY 2010
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1 - Declaration of Interests,
2 - Minutes,
3 - Petitions,
4 - Questions from Members,
5 - Feedback on Annual Return To Standards for England,
6 - Review of Code of Conduct Complaints,
7 - Members' Code of Conduct Case Reports,
8 - Local Standards Hearing, Case No. 22332,
9 - Quarterly Monitoring Report,
10 - Observation of Proceedings at Committee Meetings,
11 - Decentralisation and Localism Bill: Suggested Abolition of the "Standards Board Regime",
12 - The Monitoring Officer Role,
13 - Training for Parish Councillors and Clerks,
14 - Work Plan,
15 - Dates of Committee Meetings in 2010/11,
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PRESENT:
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Members
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Co-opted Members
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Mrs S P Clarke
Mr R E Kemp
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Miss P F Cook
Mr P J Down
Mr R L Feltwell
Mr A George
Mrs T Kavvadias
Mr J G Watson
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Mr P Jones and Mr A F D W Osborne were unable to attend.
By reason of his membership of Bentley Parish Council, Mr Feltwell declared a personal interest in respect of the matters referred to in Minute no. 6 below in so far as they related to that Parish Council.
RESOLVED
That the Minutes of the meeting held on 7 April 2010 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.
None received.
None received.
The Monitoring Officer submitted a report (Paper K55) which summarised the responses submitted to the questions posed in the annual return to Standards for England. Potential areas for further work were also identified, which represented additional activities mentioned by Standards for England as having contributed towards notable achievements on the part of certain councils.
RESOLVED
That, in view of the uncertainty regarding the future of the local standards framework, no further activities be planned at this time and the content of the Monitoring Officer’s report (Paper K55) be noted.
The Committee received a report (Paper K56) from the Monitoring Officer on the number, type and outcome of complaints concerning Members during 2009/10. There had been 8 complaints against 14 councillors (3 District Councillors and 11 Parish Councillors) and there had been two investigations, both of which led to hearings and findings of breach. This was considered to be an indication that the system for the local assessment of complaints was operating effectively.
RESOLVED
That the contents of Paper K56 be noted.
The Monitoring Officer presented her report (Paper K57) on the details of recent cases decided by the First-Tier Tribunal (Local Government Standards in England) arising out of the investigation of alleged breaches of the Members’ Code of Conduct.
RESOLVED
That the information contained in Paper K57 be noted.
A report (Paper K58) was submitted by the Monitoring Officer on the outcome of a hearing before the Standards (Hearings) Sub-Committee on 26 March 2010, public notice of which had been given by way of an advertisement in a newspaper circulating within the district (as required by law) at a cost of £652 plus VAT.
The Chairman referred to the fact that six Members had been involved at various stages in the consideration of this complaint and he took the opportunity to thank them for their efforts in what was a difficult case.
RESOLVED that the contents of Paper K58 be noted.
The Deputy Monitoring Officer submitted a report (Paper K59) containing details of interests and gifts declared by Members and Officers during the period from April to June 2010 and also on the assessment of complaints received about councillors’ conduct during that period.
RESOLVED
That the information in Paper K59 be noted.
The co-opted Members of the Committee reported on their attendance at recent Committee and Council meetings. Although they had observed Members expressing their views in a robust way on occasions, with the exception of one instance at the Development Committee on 9 June 2010 that was recounted by the Chairman, Members’ conduct had been acceptable. In the specific case mentioned by the Chairman, however, it was considered that the public criticism of the officers in the terms reported necessitated action by the Committee.
RESOLVED
That the Monitoring Officer and the Chairman be authorised to discuss the specific incident that arose at the Development Committee’s meeting on 9 June 2010 with the Chairman of that Committee, following which, if it is considered to be the appropriate means of tackling the issues raised, the Monitoring Officer, after consultation with the Chairman, be authorised to send an advisory letter to the individual Councillor concerned.
The Monitoring Officer reported that The Queen’s Speech setting out the proposed legislative programme of the new Coalition Government had included a Decentralisation and Localism Bill, one provision of which would “abolish the Standards Board regime”. The Bill was due to receive its First Reading in the autumn and it seemed likely from the pronouncements that Standards for England would be abolished but the precise implications for local standards committees were unknown at this stage.
RESOLVED
That the report by the Monitoring Officer be noted
The Monitoring Officer reported on discussions that had been held with Mid Suffolk District Council regarding the possible integration of the legal services teams supporting the two councils and which also anticipated a shared Monitoring Officer.
RESOLVED
That the position reported by the Monitoring Officer be noted
The Monitoring Officer reported that it had been intended following the discussions at the last meeting to consult Parish Clerks as a preliminary to carrying out a Training Needs Analysis that would inform the content of a future training programme but, in view of the current uncertainties, it was probably better to curtail further work on this until the Government’s full intentions regarding standards and the Code of Conduct were clearer.
RESOLVED
That no further action be taken at this time and that consideration be deferred until the next meeting.
The Committee received a report from the Monitoring Officer (Paper K60) setting out the Committee’s Work Plan for 2010/11.
RESOLVED
That the Work Plan set out in Paper K60 be noted.
Members were reminded that meetings of the Standards Committee were scheduled to take place on 15 October 2010 and on 21 January and 8 April in 2011.
RESOLVED
That the schedule of meetings be noted.
Note: The meeting was adjourned for refreshments between 10.30 a.m. and 10.45 a.m.
The business of the meeting was concluded at 11.47 a.m.
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