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.

Resolved – That the minutes of the meeting held on 18^th April 2005, 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.

The Annual Report of the Standards Committee for 2004/2005 is attached.  The Committee is asked consider the report, and subject to any comments it may wish to make, commend to report to the Council.

            The Committee considered (1) the Standards Committee Annual Report for 2004/2005 and (2) the introduction from the Chair tabled at the meeting.

            Resolved – That the Annual Report 2004/2005 including the introduction be approved for presentation to the next Council meeting by the Chair or Vice-Chair of the Committee.

            The Committee considered a report of the Director of Law and Corporate Governance dated 2^nd June 2005, setting out the progress in respect of the Ethical Audit and asking for the Committee to agree the questions for consultation, to agree how Parish Councils should be involved in the ethical audit, and to agree a work programme for the Committee against the criteria of the CPA 2005 ethical standards principles. 

            Resolved – (1) That the Ethical Audit Programme as set out at paragraph 5.1 of the agenda report be confirmed, including the request for ethical principles training to be included in the Corporate Induction Workshops for Officers, as well as in starter packs and the Director of Law and Corporate Governance in consultation with the Chair of Standards Committee complete the preliminary stages of the Ethical Audit processes, including initial consultations and amendments to the Officers and Members Induction processes, and report to the next meeting of the Committee;

            (2) That consultation questions to be used as part of the Ethical Audit Consultation for Councillors, Parish Councillors, Officers and External Consultation be approved as amended and attached at Annex ‘1’;

            (3) That the Director of Law and Corporate Governance set up a series of ethical training workshops and write to all Parish Councillors inviting them to attend, and brief the Clerks and Chairs of the Parish Councils in advance at the next meeting of the Swindon Area Committee; and

            (4) That the work programme for the Standards Committee for 2005 / 2006 focus upon the Ethical Audit and other actions to promote the standards of ethical behaviour set out in the CPA 2005 criteria, and that an Assessment report be produced at the end of the year and monitored during the year to show the Committee’s progress against these standards.  

            The Committee considered an Ethical Update report of the Director of Law and Corporate Governance dated 1^st June 2005, including:

i)        the minutes of the Independent Members Forum on 22^nd April 2005 (The Vice-Chair, Trevor Davies reported verbally on the last meeting and advised the Committee of the agenda for the Forum Co-ordinators meeting he would be attending on 20^th July 2005);

ii)      the Council’s response to the Standard Board’s consultation on the Members Code of Conduct (as discussed at the last meeting);

iii)    the results of the research commissioned by the Standards Board on the role of Monitoring Officers;

iv)    the Standards Board Bulletin for May 2005 and the Town and Parish Standards Bulletin;

v)      An update on Parish Council matters;

vi)    The programme for the Annual Standards Board Conference on 5^th and 6^th September;

vii)   A CIPFA summary of Adjudication Panel Decisions and update on the Victor Scrivens v Ethical Standard Officer case related to declaration of interests; and

viii) That no complaints against Borough or Parish Councillors had been notified to the Standards Board since the last meeting.

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

            2) That the Vice-Chair takes into account the views of the Standards Committee on the agenda for the Independent Forum Co-ordinators meeting, and in particular their opposition to a national assembly of independent members and to any remuneration proposals which could affect members’ independence and the Vice-Chair report back to the Committee on the outcome of the meeting;  

            2) That the Chair of the Standards Committee speak to the Chief Executive with regard to the recommendations of the Standards Board research on the role of the Monitoring Officer; and

            3) That the Committee Members advise the Director of Law and Corporate Governance if they wish to attend the Annual Standards Board Conference.