Agenda item

            The Committee received a report from the Director of Law and Democratic Services (Monitoring Officer) on the following Ethical Framework Matters:

            a) Anti-Fraud and Corruption Strategy and Whistleblowing Policy - The Committee reviewed the strategy and policy as part of an annual review of their operation and agreed for the documents to go out to consultation.

            b) Swindon Standards Committee - The Committee considered a proposal for a standards conference and agreed that this should take place in November 2008 or January 2009, should be held at Steam or King Edward Place, and agreed an additional outcome for ongoing workshop(s) to progress outcomes identified in the conference.

            c) Annual Governance Statement and Local Code of Corporate Governance - The Committee reviewed the Codes and Statement adopted by the Audit Committee on behalf of the Council, and noted the where the contribution of the Standards Committee was recognised.

            d) Parish Councils - Mr Mike Compton confirmed that he had now visited nine Parish Councils with the Swindon Area to discuss the implementation of the Code of Conduct and to ask if additional assistance was required.  Mike Compton confirmed that as a general rule, standards within Parish Councils were good, and there was an awareness of the Code of Conduct and its implementation.  It was noted that Wanborough, Bishopstone and Liddington Parish Councils had expressed an interest in additional training, and the Monitoring Officer would contact the relevant parish councils to arrange this.

            e) Register of Interests and Training - The Committee received assurances that newly elected Members had completed acceptance of office forms and register of interest forms, and details of the ethical training that had taken place with members since the election in May 2008.

            f) Standards Board Publications - The Committee noted the Standards Board Bulletins April 2008 (Issue 38) and June 2008 (Issue 39).

            i) Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Wiltshire Independent Standards Committee Members Forum - The Committee noted that the next Forum would be held on 26^th September.

            j) Seventh Annual Assembly of Standards Committees - The Committee noted that Trevor Davies and the Monitoring Officer would be attending the assembly on 13^th -14^th October on behalf of the Committee.

            Resolved that - 1) The Ethical Framework update be noted.

            2) The Monitoring Officer and Head of Internal Audit consult on the review of the Anti-Fraud and Corruption Policy, The Whistleblowing Policy and the Fraud Response Plan, and report back to the next meeting with any revisions.

            3) The Committee supports the draft proposal for a Standards Conference during 2008/09 (amended as set out at b) above) and this be forwarded to the Swindon Strategic Partnership Board for discussion and the Monitoring Officer be authorised to be make appropriate arrangements for the Conference.

            4) The Annual Governance Statement and the local Code of Corporate Governance be noted.