Venue: Committee Room A - County Hall, Llandrindod Wells, Powys. View directions
Contact: Elizabeth Patterson 01597 826980
Note: or on the later rising of Standards Community Sub-Commmittee.
No. | Item |
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To authorise the Chair to sign the minutes of the previous meeting(s) of the Committee held on the following dates(s) as a correct record. Minutes: The Chair was authorised to sign the minutes of the meeting held on the 25th November 2015 as a correct record. |
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Election of Vice-Chair To elect a Vice-Chair of the Standards Committee. Minutes: Resolved that Independent Member C Jackson be appointed as Vice-Chair. |
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Apologies To receive apologies for absence. Minutes: Apologies for absence were received from County Councillor G Williams. |
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Declarations of interest To receive any declarations of interest from Members relating to items to be considered on the agenda. Minutes: No declarations of interest were received. |
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Report of the Solicitor to the Council PDF 82 KB To receive the report of the Solicitor to the Council. Minutes: The Committee received the report of the Solicitor to the Council. (Copy filed with signed minutes).
A. General Standards Issues for County Councillors and Co-opted Members
A1 Code of Conduct Training
Arrangements are being made for the remaining four Members to receive this refresher training by means of the Members providing written responses to 3 or 4 questions considered at the refresher training sessions. The scenarios have been sent to the four Members and responses are awaited.
The new Independent Member of Standards Committee received Code of Conduct training on 22nd February 2016.
A2 Draft Local Government (Wales) Bill
The Draft Local Government (Wales) Bill has proposed a number of new responsibilities for Monitoring Officers and Standards Committees as follows:
· Complaints about a Member’s non-compliance with duties (attendance at meetings, holding surgeries, answering correspondence, training) will be made to the Council’s Monitoring Officer. The Monitoring Officer in consultation with the Chair of the Standards Committee will decide if the complaint is to be investigated. · Duty of County Councillors to make annual reports – if the Head of Democratic Services is also the Monitoring Officer, any breaches of this provision can be investigated by the Monitoring Officer in the exercise of his / her responsibilities, but as above has to discuss this with the Chair of the Standards Committee. · Following an investigation the Monitoring Officer must provide a report to the Standards Committee on the investigation making recommendations which the Monitoring Officer considers appropriate. · The Standards Committee will consider the report and recommendations and consider if there has been a breach and will have powers to censure or suspend / partially suspend a Member or take no action. · Leaders of political groups will have a duty to maintain high standards by members of their political group. Standards Committees will have the responsibility of monitoring compliance by political group leaders of their duties. · Standards Committees will have a duty to make an annual report to the County Council describing how it discharged its functions during the financial year.
The consultation exercise ended on 15th February, 2016 and the Council will need to await the outcome to see if the proposed provisions become enacted in the final Act.
B. Referral of Councillors to Public Services Ombudsman
B1. County Councillor Referrals
B1.1 The following matters are with the Ombudsman:
6/15/CC Ombudsman investigating 8/15/CC Ombudsman investigating 9/15//CC Ombudsman investigating 10/15/CC Not investigating 11/15/CC Not investigating 12/15/CC Not investigating 13/15/CC Not investigating 01/16/CC Awaiting a decision of whether or not to investigate 02/16/CC Awaiting a decision of whether or not to investigate 03/16/CC Awaiting a decision of whether or not to investigate 04/16/CC Awaiting a decision of whether or not to investigate
C. Other Standards Issues
None.
D Dispensations
D1. Applications - County Councillors
No applications for dispensation have been received.
E. Attendance
E.1 Member attendance
Attendance for Members at main Committees for the period 13th May 2015 to 30th November 2015 had been calculated.
Four Councillors had attendance below 60% ... view the full minutes text for item S20-2016 |