Issue - meetings

            The Committee received a report from the Director of Law and Democratic Services (Monitoring Officer) providing an update of various matters relating to the Ethical Framework including:

a)     The Standards for England Annual Return 2010 – The Committee noted the return which had been submitted by the 16^th April 2010 deadline, and which had been circulated in draft to the Committee Members for comment prior to submission. 

b)     Local Standards 2.0 – Proportionality upgrade? - The Committee noted the Standards for England review of the devolved decision-making in respect of standards complaints, including its recommendations to improve and streamline the existing process.  It was appreciated that these recommendations had been made to the Department of Communities and Local Government, but would require legislative reform and depended on the result of the forthcoming general election.  The Committee noted the importance of assessments being quicker, while retaining decisions by several Members of the Committee in addition to the Monitoring Officer.

c)      Local Code of Corporate Governance – The Monitoring Officer was due to consult on any required amendments to the Code.  The Committee recommended that it be updated to include in paragraph 3.14 reference to requiring adherence to ethical standards by the Council's partners and contractors.  The updated Code would come back to a future meeting for final approval following consultation.

d)     Annual Governance Statement – The Committee reviewed and endorsed the arrangements for the preparation of the Annual Governance Statement and the assurance statement questionnaire to be completed by Group Directors and Directors.

e)     Desktop Ethical Audit – The Committee endorsed the updated Desktop Ethical Audit.

f)        Role Definitions for Planning Committee Chair and Members – The Committee had asked that the Planning Committee be consulted on these Codes and now reviewed the changes recommended.

g)     Standards Board Publications / Events – The Committee received the Standards for England Bulletin for February 2010 (Issue 47), which included reference to the new Standards for England Regulatory Statement and new range of Guidance issued, including in relation to Social Networking.  Members noted that the Annual Assembly of Standards Committees would be held on 18^th-19^th October and agreed to advise the Monitoring Officer by the end of May if they wished to attend.

h)      Reference from Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP) and Council – Members considered a reference from the IRP for the Committee to consider whether Councillors who are appointed to other bodies on behalf of the Council, should include in their Declarations of Interests the annual amount of allowance paid by those bodies.  The Committee agreed that this was appropriate.

            Resolved – 1) That the Ethical Framework Update be noted;

            2) That the Authority's Annual Return to Standards for England be noted.

            3) That the 'Local Standards 2.0 – Proportionality upgrade? - A review of the local standards network' issued by Standards for England be noted.

            4)  That it be recommended to the Audit Committee that the Directors’ Assurance Questionnaire and the current process for the preparation of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6

            The Committee considered a reference from the Standards Committee asking for the Planning Committee to consider new Councillor Role Definitions for the Chair and Members of the Planning Committee.  The Committee supported the principle of clarity of the roles and responsibilities, to which they operate to already and as a means of passing forward best practice to new members of the Committee.

            Resolved - That the new Councillor Role Definitions for Chair and Members of the Planning Committee be referred to the Standards Committee for approval, subject to amendments to paragraphs 5 and 8 of the Committee Members’ duties and responsibilities, to be discussed by the Chair with the Director of Law and Democratic Services, to include reference to the Development Framework, and to clarify how members of the Committee will jointly own and explain collective decisions even if they voted against a decision at the time.