Issue - meetings

3.50pm

Report by the Director of Law & Governance and Monitoring Officer.

The Audit and Governance Committee is responsible for promoting standards of conduct for elected councillors and co-opted members and for ensuring the integrity of the democratic decision-making process.  Consequently, the Monitoring Officer reports annually to this Committee on relevant actions and issues that have occurred in the previous year. This report therefore summarises activities for the year 2018/19.

The Committee is RECOMMENDED to consider and endorse the report.

Recommendation agreed.

Nick Graham introduced the report which covers governance issues, complaints against Members, exceptions to the Forward Plan, private meetings and reports and other issues.

Officers responded to Members’ questions as follows:

·         The proposals being considered by government for stronger sanctions against Members found contravening codes include suspension and deductions from allowances.

·         It is not generally necessary to read out the full statement from the agenda declaring a meeting private.  It depends on who is present.  Once it is made clear to everyone present that the meeting is going into private session and why, that is sufficient.

·         The term “space” in paragraph 27 of the report refers to the dynamic between councillors and the public.

·         The total of two complaints against Members in the year is fairly typical.

RESOLVED: to endorse the report.