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    • Agenda and minutes

    Standards Committee - Wednesday, 2nd October, 2019 10.00 am

    • Attendance details
    • Agenda frontsheet PDF 144 KB
    • Agenda reports pack PDF 1 MB
    • Printed minutes PDF 314 KB

    Venue: Committee Room A - County Hall, Llandrindod Wells, Powys. View directions

    Contact: Carol Johnson  01597 826206

    Items
    No. Item

    1.

    Apologies

    To receive apologies for absence.

    Minutes:

    Apologies were received from Mrs C Jackson.

     

    The Committee noted that Sarah Lewis had resigned as a Councillor in September, 2019.  The Committee noted that a replacement had been sought from the respective Group and the nomination would be approved by Council at its meeting on 10 October, 2019.

     

    2.

    Minutes pdf icon PDF 203 KB

    To authorise the Chair to sign the minutes of the previous meeting of the Committee held on 5 June, 2019 as a correct record.

    Minutes:

    The Chair was authorised to sign the minutes of the meeting held on 5 June, 2019 as a correct record.

     

    3.

    Declarations of interest

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

    Minutes:

    County Councillor K Roberts-Jones declared a personal interest in Item 4 F as she is a member of the Policy Forum which discusses and compiles policies for the Council.

    4.

    Report of the Solicitor to the Council pdf icon PDF 154 KB

    • View the declarations of interest for item 4.

    To receive the report of the Solicitor to the Council.

    Additional documents:

    • App 1: Whistleblowing 2019 Final for consultation , item 4. pdf icon PDF 356 KB
    • Appendix 2: Code-of-Conduct-Jan-March-2019 Ombudsman casebook , item 4. pdf icon PDF 109 KB
    • Appendix 3: Chair's notes on North Wales Standards Committee Forum 24th June 2019 , item 4. pdf icon PDF 179 KB
    • Appendix 3: NW Standards Committee Forum Minutes 24.06.19 , item 4. pdf icon PDF 166 KB

    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

     

    The Committee noted that refresher training on Code of Conduct will be arranged in 2020 for all Councillors and co-opted members.

     

    A2.      Mandatory Training

     

    A2.1    The Committee noted that four Councillors had not attended or completed the mandatory Equalities & Diversity training.  The Committee noted that Councillor Harris, was due to attend the last session, but her afternoon appointment had arrived early and that Councillor Alexander was unable to complete the session due to urgent business. 

     

    Officers advised that the training would be provided by Council officers and a suitable date would need to be agreed, to ensure the four Councillors could attend.  The Committee agreed that, taking this into account the training should be provided before Christmas, if possible.

     

    RESOLVED

    Reason for decision

    that an email be sent from the Chair of Standards to Councillors Rosemarie Harris, Liam Fitzpatrick and Gareth Pugh who had not attended the mandatory training and to County Councillor Myfanwy Alexander who had not completed the training session in September, advising them that they need to attend the next session. 

    To comply with the Council policy.

     

    A 2.2   The Committee noted that Councillor Fitzpatrick had signed in and left the mandatory Corporate safeguarding training in September.   Officers advised that this training had been recorded and a self-assessment form had been developed by officers.

               

    RESOLVED

    Reason for decision

    That an email be sent from the Chair of Standards to Councillor Liam Fitzpatrick requiring him to undertake the mandatory training by watching the video and completing the self-assessment form, within one month of receiving the video. 

    To comply with the Council policy.

     

    The Committee agreed that Councillors should be reminded that they were required to complete mandatory development.

     

    RESOLVED

    Reason for decision

    That an email be sent from the Chair of Standards to Councillors reminding them they were required to complete mandatory training in full.

    To comply with the Council policy.

     

     

    B.        Referral of Councillors to the Public Services Ombudsman

     

    B1.      County Council Referrals

     

    The current position regarding matters with the Ombudsman is detailed below:

     

    02/CC/2017    Concluded no breach

     

    01/CC/2018    Referred to APW

    08/CC/2018    Concluded not investigating

    09/CC/2018    Concluded not investigating

    12/CC/2018    Concluded no breach.  Review requested.

     

    03/CC/2019    Concluded not investigating

     

     

    C.           Dispensations

     

    C1.    Applications- CountyCouncillors

    No applications for dispensation have been received from County Councillors.

     

    D.           LatePayment ofExpenses

     

    A claimfor paymentof expenseswas submittedby Councillor L George for mileageexpenses (submittedon 25 September, 2019, the paperwork having previously been returned to Councillor George as it was incomplete), for mid-October 2018 tomid-November, 2018.

     

    The Committeeapproved thisapplication (whichwas thefirst one for mileage madeby this Councillor)and thanked him for the explanation.

     

    RESOLVEDTHAT

    REASONFOR DECISION

    the payment of the late claim submitted by Councillor George for mileage be paid for the period  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.