Agenda and minutes

Members are requested at the start of the meeting to declare any known interests in any matter to be considered, and are reminded that any such interest should also be declared at the start of an item or during any discussion of the matter concerned.

The Chair reminded Members of the need to declare any known interests in any matters to be considered at the meeting.  No declarations were made.

In respect of Item 6 and the review of the Planning Code of Conduct, Councillor Fanning sought the advice of the Committee and Monitoring Officer in respect of a situation whereby he and his wife had been unable to speak in respect of a planning application at a neighbouring property, due to his position as a Councillor, and his wife’s position as a Council officer.  He reported that he had written to the case officer and asked a fellow Councillor as his ward member to speak on his behalf, but was concerned that his own human rights were infringed by the situation.  The Monitoring Officer confirmed that it was acceptable for him to act as he had in writing and asking for a ward member to represent him, but that under the Code of Conduct it was not be possible for him or his wife to speak at a Committee.

To receive the minutes of the meeting held on 22 November 2004.

Resolved – That the minutes of the meeting held on 22^nd November 2004 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

(See explanatory note below.  Please phone the Committee Clerk whose name and number appears at the top of this agenda if you need further guidance.)

            No public questions were received during the meeting.

            Resolved - That, in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded during the discussion of the matters referred to in Item 8 of the Notice of the Meeting, ‘Complaints and Investigations Update’ on the grounds that the item involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 1 and 15 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act (Minute 28 refers).

            The Committee considered a report of the Director of Law and Corporate Governance dated 19^th January 2005, providing an update on matters contained in the Corporate Governance Inspection Report 2004, and the proposed Comprehensive Performance Assessment 2005 regime, as they related to the responsibilities of the Standards Committee.

            Resolved – i) That the report on the Corporate Government inspection report and the proposed Comprehensive Performance Assessment 2005 regime be noted; and

            ii) That the Committee take into account when considering how to progress an ethical audit of the Council the four criteria relating to ethical standards in high performing authorities in the proposed Corporate Performance Assessment 2005 (as set out in paragraph 5.5 of the report).

            The Committee considered a report of the Director of Law and Corporate Governance dated 19^th January 2004, in respect of:

i)        The recommendations of the Standards Ethical Audit Working Group held on 12 January 2005 on how to proceed with an ethical audit;

ii)      A summary of the Standards in Public Life (the ‘Graham Committee’) Report on the work of the Standards Board for England;

iii)    Training being held for parish councils on 10^th February 2005 on the ethical framework, and for Standards Committee Members on 8^th March on the new local determination regulations;

iv)    An update on the review of Council Codes and Protocols, including public responses to the review of the Planning Code of Practice and the Association of Secretaries and Solicitors (ACSeS) document on ‘Member engagement in Planning Matters’;

v)      The Standards Board Bulletin for January 2005.

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

            2) That an action research approach to the ethical audit be adopted as recommended by the Ethical Audit Working Group, and the Working Group be asked to draw up a programme for action focusing on the issues identified in their desktop analysis and on the four key criteria for ethical audit set out in the Audit Commission consultation on Corporate Performance Assessment 2005;

            3) That any member of the Standards Committee wishing to accompany the Chair and Monitoring Officer to the Standards Board Roadshow on 14^th June 2005, notify the Monitoring Officer; and

            4) That the response to the Planning Code of Conduct requesting amendments, together with the ACSeS document ‘Member Engagement in Planning Matters’ be forwarded to the Head of Regeneration and Planning to consider in conjunction with the Chair of Planning Committee and make representations back to this Committee as to whether any amendments to the Code are necessary.   

            The Committee considered a report of the Director of Law and Corporate Governance dated 19^th January 2005 requesting authorisation for the Director of Law and Corporate Governance to arrange for the appointment to two vacancies on the Remuneration Panel and to increase the Panel Member allowance.

            Resolved – i) That the Director of Law and Corporate Governance be authorised to advertise the two vacancies on the Independent Remuneration Panel, and that Keith Carby and Trevor Davies together with the existing Chair of the Remuneration Panel form the interview panel to consider the nominations received and make appointments to the Panel; and

            ii) That the allowance for each of the five Remuneration Panel Members be increased to £200 per year (giving a total budget of £1000 per annum).

             The Committee considered a report of the Director of Law and Corporate Governance dated 19^th January 2005 reporting the outcome of various complaints and investigations including those to the Standards Board for England, whistle-blowing complaints and a breach of the Member / Officer Protocol.

            Resolved – That the report be noted.