Agenda and minutes

Nominations were sought for the position of Committee Chair.

Councillor Bown proposed, with Councillor Ellery seconding, that Councillor Thomas be elected as Chair.

There being no other nominations, it was

RESOLVED that Councillor Thomas be elected Chair of the Committee until the Annual Authority meeting in June.

of the previous meeting held on 28 November 2016 attached.

RESOLVED that, subject to recording Fr. David Watson (Independent Member) as also in attendance, the Minutes of the meeting held on 28 November 2016 be signed as a correct record.

Report of the Director of Corporate Services (Clerk to the Authority) (DDC/18/1) attached.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Corporate Services (DDC/18/1) on the outcome of a review of the Authority’s Code of Conduct, associated Declarations of Interest Form and Guidance on Making a Complaint.  Appended to the report were a revised Code of Conduct, associated Registration of Interests Form and Guide to Making a Complaint which had been amended following the review to ensure compliance with best practice and provide a robust, appropriate and proportionate framework.

It was also proposed that the terms of reference for the Committee should be amended to more accurately reflect the requirements of the Localism Act 2011 and that the Committee should be retitled as the Standards Committee in the interests of transparency and given that this was the most commonly used name for committees with similar roles in other local authorities.

RESOLVED that, subject to incorporation of those amendments as indicated at the meeting, the Authority be recommended to approve:

(a).      the revised Code of Conduct as set out at Appendix A to report DDC/18/1;

(b).      the revised form for Declaration of Members’ Registerable Interests as set out at Appendix B to the report;

(c).      the revised Guide to Making a Complaint as set out at Appendix C to the report;

(d).      the renaming of the Committee to the Standards Committee;

(e).      the revised Terms of Reference for the Committee as set out at Appendix D to the report; and

(f).       authorisation for the Clerk to make consequential amendments stemming from (a) to (e) above.

Report of the Director of Corporate Services (Clerk to the Authority) (DDC/18/2) attached.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Corporate Services (DDC/18/2) to which was appended a proposed response to the consultation issued by the Committee on Standards in Public Life for the purpose of gathering evidence for its review of local government ethical standards.

The closing date for submission of responses to the consultation was 18 May 2018.

RESOLVED that the Authority be recommended:

(a).      to approve the draft response to the Committee on Standards in Public Life consultation on local government ethical standards, as appended to report DDC/18/2 but amended as indicated at the meeting; and

(b).      to authorise the Clerk to submit the approved response on behalf of the Authority.