Venue: in Meeting Room 1, Pathfinder House, St Mary's Street, Huntingdon PE29 3TN
Contact: Ms C Deller, Democratic Services Manager, Tel No 01480 388007/e-mail: Christine.Deller@huntsdc.gov.
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To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 31st January 2008. Contact: C Deller 388007 Minutes: The Minutes of the Committee held on 31st January 2008 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman. |
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MEMBERS' INTERESTS To receive from Members declarations as to personal and/or prejudicial interests and the nature of those interests in relation to any Agenda Items – please see Notes 1 and 2 below. Minutes: Councillors J D Ablewhite and P J Downes and Messrs P Boothman and G Watkins declared a personal interest in Minute No. 41 by virtue of their personal involvement or close association with the individuals involved in the cases referred to.
Councillor G S E Thorpe declared a personal interest in Minute No. 44 by virtue of his membership of St. Neots Town Council. |
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APPLICATION FOR DISPENSATION To consider a report by the Director of Central Services and Monitoring Officer regarding an application received for dispensation from Pidley-cum-Fenton Parish Council. Contact: C Deller 388007 Minutes: A report by the Director of Central Services and Monitoring Officer was submitted (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) regarding a request received for dispensation from five Members serving on Pidley-cum-Fenton Parish Council.
The Monitoring Officer explained that following advice offered to the Parish Clerk in response to an inquiry on the various interests held by Council Members, it had become apparent that Members of the Parish Council required dispensation to enable them to continue to consider applications for financial assistance received from the Village Hall Management Committee.
In accordance with the Relevant Authorities (Standards Committee) (Dispensations) Regulations 2002 and having been satisfied that approval was required to prevent the business of the Parish Council from being impeded, the Committee
RESOLVED
that dispensation to speak and vote be granted to five Members of Pidley-cum-Fenton Parish Council for the period ending 30th April 2008 to enable them to conduct business involving the award of grant to the Village Hall Management Committee.
Actions: C Deller 388007 |
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SURVEY OF CODE OF CONDUCT COMPLAINTS: 2002 - 2006 Further to Minute No. 29 of the meeting held on 6th December 2007, to note an analysis presented by the Director of Central Services and Monitoring Officer of Code of Conduct complaints by type, locality and outcome for the period 2002 – 2006. Contact: C Deller 388007/ N Giles 387049 Additional documents: Minutes: (See Minute No. 39 for Members’ Interests).
Further to Minute No. 29, the Committee received and noted a presentation (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) of the cases reported to the Standards Board for England relating to Huntingdonshire District and parishes since the introduction of the ethical standards regime in 2001. |
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LOG OF CODE OF CONDUCT ENQUIRIES Further to Minute No. 29 of the meeting held on 6th December 2007, to note the Code of Conduct enquiries recorded by the Director of Central Services and Monitoring Officer since the commencement of the log in January 2008. Contact: C Deller 388007 Minutes: In response to a request by the Committee at their meeting held on 6th December 2007 (Minute No. 29 refers), Members received and noted a record of Code of Conduct enquiries received by the Director of Central Services and Monitoring Officer since the commencement of the log in January 2008 (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book).
Members were of the view that this new initiative could prove to be a valuable reference tool when the local assessment regime commences. |
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CODE OF CONDUCT - FACT SHEETS (a) Gifts and Hospitality
(b) Personal and Prejudicial Interests
To note the content of two fact sheets issued by the Standards Board for England which convey information on various sections of the Code of Conduct via frequently asked questions. Minutes: Members received and noted the content of two fact sheets produced by the Standards Board for England on the sections of the Code of Conduct relating to gifts and hospitality and personal and prejudicial interests (copies of which are appended in the Minute Book). |
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CODE OF CONDUCT COMPLAINT - STANDARDS BOARD NOTIFICATION To note the decision of the Standards Board for England in a case against a Councillor serving on St Neots Town Council. Contact: C Deller 388007 Minutes: The Committee received and noted a report by the Director of Central Services and Monitoring Officer (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) regarding the decision of the Standards Board for England not to take any further action in relation to allegations made against a Councillor serving on St. Neots Town Council. |
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INDEPENDENT ADJUDICATOR: NEW ROLE FOR STANDARDS COMMITTEES To consider a report by the Director of Central Services and Monitoring Officer regarding proposed change to the terms of reference of the Committee Contact: C Deller 388007 Minutes: Further to Minute No. 36 and by way of a report by the Director of Central Services and Monitoring Officer (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) Members were reminded of the proposal, under the Local Government and Public Involvement In Health Act 2007, to abolish the role of Independent Adjudicator and to transfer the responsibility for the granting and supervision of exemptions of certain local authority posts from political restrictions to local authority Standards Committees.
Members noted that guidance on the precise duties to be undertaken by the Committee still was awaited from the Department for Communities and Local Government as was any indication of the timing of the transfer of functions. Therefore and having acknowledged that there would be a requirement to vary the Committee’s terms of reference and to consider the necessity for a Member briefing or training on the new functions, the Committee
RESOLVED
that, in accordance with the advice of the Standards Board for England, the intention of the Government to vary the duties and responsibilities of Standards Committees be noted. |
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LOCAL ASSESSMENT: EXERCISE To consider a report by the Director of Central Services and Monitoring Officer in preparation for undertaking local assessment of Code of Conduct cases. Contact: C Deller 388007 Additional documents: Minutes: Further to Minute No. 36, the Committee received and noted a report by the Director of Central Services and Monitoring Officer (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) which drew attention to some early guidance published by the Standards Board for England to help prepare local government for the local assessment of Code of Conduct cases.
Having discussed the complaint handling flow chart and the details of the case submitted, Members recognised that it would be beneficial if arrangements could be made by the Monitoring Officer for the Committee to engage in a training exercise at the conclusion of the next meeting.
The Committee also were of the view that careful consideration needed to be given to the content of letters of response to complainants particularly in circumstances where it would not fall to the Standards Committee to deal with the complaint. |
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DATE OF NEXT MEETING To note that the next meeting of the Committee will be held on Thursday 3rd July 2008 at 4pm. Minutes: It was noted that the next ordinary meeting of the Committee would be held at 4pm on Thursday 3rd July 2008. |