Agenda and minutes

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.

The Chair was authorised to sign the minutes of the meeting held on the 28^th June 2017 subject to the following amendments:

On page 4 three lines from the bottom amend to: ‘The Committeed also questioned if Councillor Priced failed…’

On page 5 under case 8/15/CC amend to: ‘Code of Conduct had occurred and imposing imposed…’

On page 5 under case 9/15/CC amend to: ‘Code of Conduct had occurred and imposing imposed…’

Members queried if Councillor K Roberts-Jones and Councillor M Williams had received an apology from Councillor G Price.

Councillor K Roberts-Jones advised that she had not received an apology from Councillor Price.

Councillor Roberts-Jones declared an interest in this matter and left the room

The Chair advised that she had that morning spoken to Councillor M Williams who confirmed he had received no letter, phone call, text, email or verbal apology.

Independent Member H Rhydderch-Roberts declared an interest in this matter and left the room.

Independent Member C Jackson (Vice-Chair) took the Chair for this item.

Members expressed their concern that the APW had taken into account Councillor Price’s intention to send letters of apology to Councillors Roberts-Jones and Williams and this had been used in mitigation by the APW and had led to a reduction in sanction from a five month suspension to a three month suspension.  When the matter was returned to the Standards Committee they had followed the recommendation from the APW and Councillor Price was suspended for 3 months.

Members were of the view that Councillor Price had shown a lack of respect to the Councillors who were expecting an apology, the APW and themselves by advising that he intended to send a letter of apology which he did not subsequently send.  His inaction may have brought the office of Councillor and the County Council into disrepute.

Members acknowledged that there was a lack of clarity regarding the timescale for sending an apology but that it was to be sent ‘by the end of the process’.  Councillor Price’s suspension has now concluded and therefore the process has now ended.  Members felt that sufficient time had elapsed in which an apology should have been made.

Members were of the view that both the APW and the Ombudsman should be advised of Councillor Price’s failure to fulfil his offer to apologise to Councillor Roberts-Jones and Williams.  Cllr Price will be informed that letters have been sent to the APW and the Ombudsman.

To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from Councillor S Lewis.

To receive any declarations of interest from Members relating to items to be considered on the agenda.

To receive any declarations of interest from Members relating to items to be considered on the agenda.

Minutes

Councillor K Roberts-Jones declared an interest in relation to case 6/15/CC as she was the Member who reported this matter to the Ombudsman.

Independent Member H Rhydderch-Roberts declared an interest in relation to case 6/15/CC as she was had not sat on the Hearing for this case due to a personal connection.

Report of the Solicitor to the Council

Councillor K Silk declared an interest in relation to B1 of the Report of the Solicitor to the Council as she was one of the eight Councillors who had been reported to the Ombudsman.

To receive the report of the Solicitor to the Council.

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

            Code of Conduct training had been offered to the four County Councillors and one Independent Member who have yet to receive this training.   This training would be offered to the newly appointed Town and Community Council representatives on the Standards Community Sub-Committee. 

B         County Councillor referrals

            The current position regarding existing matters with the Ombudsman is as follows: 

            04/CC/2016     Ombudsman not investigating

02/CC/2017    Ombudsman originally decided not to investigate – complainant submitted a request for a review of that decision and the Ombudsman has now decided to investigate.

04/CC/2017    Relating to eight Councillors – Ombudsman not investigating

C         Dispensations

C1       Applications – County Councillors

            No applications for dispensations had been received.

D         Ombudsman’s Casebook

The Ombudsman had published Code of Conduct Casebooks for the following periods:

·         April 2017 – June 2017

A copy of this Casebook was attached at Appendix A.

E         Annual Letter from the Ombudsman

The Annual Letter from the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales was received and noted.

The Solicitor to the Council advised that complaint handling was been taken seriously by himself and the Chief Executive.  Previously there had been three systems for recording complaints and the authority are now moving to one system with new software which will help monitoring of complaints.  This alone would not improve complaint handling and staff were instructed to give complaints due priority.

F          Appointment of Independent Member

The process for appointing an Independent Member had commenced.  The post had been advertised in the Brecon and Radnor and the County Times and had also been placed on the front page of the Powys County Council website.  To date there have been 35 expressions of interest and 11 applications.  The closing date for submitting applications is the 6^th October 2017.  Shortlisting will take place on the 23^rd October 2017 with Interviews taking place on the 8^th November 2017.

The Interview Panel will comprise of the following members:

Mrs S Thompson – High Sheriff

Mrs H Rhydderch-Roberts – Chair of Standards Committee

Mrs J Evans – Independent Member Standards Committee

Councillor S Lewis – County Councillor Member Standards Committee

Community Councillor Hugh Pattrick – Community Councillor Member Standards Committee.

The appointment will be made at the meeting of Powys County Council on the 25^th January 2018.  The first meeting of the Standards Committee thereafter will be the 7^th February 2018.

G.        Appointment of Town and Community Council Representatives to the Standards Community Sub-Committee.