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)     Annual Audit Letter – The Committee welcomed the results of the letter for 2008/09, including a score of 3 on KLOE 2.3 (good governance), and notable practice in relation to promoting good governance in partnerships.

b)     Annual Governance Statement – The Committee noted the Annual Governance Statement which had been approved at Audit Committee on 22^nd June 2010. 

c)      Standards for England – The Monitoring Officer advised the Committee that Standards for England was being abolished and the Standards Annual Conference had been cancelled.  He would bring a report to the next meeting on any new framework for ethical governance issued by the Government.

d)     Training – The Committee noted the ethical training provided by the Monitoring Officer to Councillors and Parish Councillors since the last meeting.

e)     Media Guidelines for Councillors - The Committee considered proposals for changes to the Media Guidelines for Councillors relating to use of officer photographs in party literature, and guidance on Councillor use of blogs and social networking sites.  The Committee considered written representations received from the Labour Group, the Liberal Democratic Group, Councillor Bennett, Councillor Heaton-Jones, Councillor Wright and verbal representations from Councillor Harrison, in relation to changes to paragraph 4.5 of the Media Guidelines.  The Members noted the following comments:

• A definition of social networking should be included in the guidelines.
• The recommended changes are unnecessary, as this would be covered by the existing Code of Conduct provisions, and Councillors as part of their role have to know what comments are appropriate.
• There should be greater clarity given to when information ceases to be confidential and can be disclosed.
• The guidelines should deal with Councillors as individuals rather than as members of Political Groups.

• In relation to the proposed requirement for Councillors to check information with Members and Officers before publication the following comments were received:

Ø      There should be no requirement to check with fellow Councillors before quoting them, as they have a right of reply.

Ø      Any comments made in public or published in writing should be able to be quoted without specific permission.

Ø      The general requirement to check erodes Councillors’ freedom to speak on public issues and the speed of which comments can be given. 

• In relation to the proposed requirement for Councillors to use their own name when using social media sites to comment on Council related matters the following comments were received:

Ø      This is unenforceable and flies against the standard practice of use of pseudonyms on such sites.  Instead, Councillors should be strongly advised to use their own names, and reminded that if they choose to write under a pseudonym they should not publish anything that would breach the Code of Conduct, and should be aware that there might be ways for their identity to be traced.

Ø      This would limit the opportunity for Councillors to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7

The Head of Internal Audit submitted a report providing the Committee with details of the draft Annual Governance Statement, setting out the Council’s governance arrangements.

Resolved – That the draft Annual Governance Statement, appended to the report, be approved for signing off by the Leader of the Council and the Chief Executive.