Issue - meetings

2.30pm

Report by the Director of Law and Governance

The Committee on Standards in Public Life is undertaking a review of Local Government Ethical Standards and is consulting with stakeholders. 

The Consultation opened on 29 January 2018 and closes on 18 May 2018.  The Consultation asks a number of questions in relation to Ethical Governance and anyone with an interest is asked to make a submission.

Members of the Audit & Governance Committee may wish to respond.  This report is simply to bring the Consultation to the attention of Members and to coordinate any responses.

The Committee is RECOMMENDED to consider the Consultation from the Committee on Standards in Public Life (Annex 1) and to:

a)            determine whether, and if so how, to respond as a Committee;

b)           determine whether, additionally, to encourage members and co-opted members to respond individually; and

c)            if appropriate, ask the Monitoring Officer to co-ordinate the submission of responses before the closing date of the consultation.

RESOLVED that:

a)    Councillors Ian Corkin, Helen Evans and Roz Smith will meet to discuss a response to the consultation; and

b)    The Monitoring Officer will coordinate the submission of responses before the closing date of the consultation.

The report was introduced by Mr Graham who asked members to consider if the current system dealing with ethical standards is working or requires improvement.  This Council does not receive many complaints against Members but this might be because the sanctions are perceived to be weak.  He noted that the consultation also asked for views on intimidation of councillors and that there had been a motion on this recently at Full Council.

Members raised issues with Mr Graham who responded as follows:

·         The most common grounds for complaints in his experience were conflict of interest, transparency and inappropriate behaviour.

·         When he receives a complaint, he consults the Code and liaises with an independent person.  If there is deemed to be a possible breach a subcommittee is formed but very few get to that stage.

·         Members of the public might feel that the Monitoring Officer is too close to Members of the Council to be able to maintain impartiality.

It was agreed to form a small group to consider the Council’s response to the consultation.  The Monitoring Officer will coordinate the group and its submission.  All Members will be emailed and encouraged to submit their views to the group.

RESOLVED that:

a)    Councillors Ian Corkin, Helen Evans and Roz Smith will meet to discuss a response to the consultation; and

b)   The Monitoring Officer will coordinate the submission of responses before the closing date of the consultation.