Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors T Eales, B Markham, and Russell and Kim Holland (Co Optee.) and Roger Rumsey (Co Optee.)

The Standards Committee to approve the minutes of the meeting held on 11 June 2018.

The minutes of the meeting held on 11 June 2018 were signed by the Chair as a true and accurate record.

There were none.

There were none.

The Standards Committee to consider a report regarding complaints received under the Arrangements for dealing with allegations of breaches of the Council’s Code of Conduct and of Codes of Conduct adopted by Parish Councils.

The Standards Committee received a report detailing statistics in relation to Code of Conduct Arrangements complaints.

The Standards Committee discussed the complaints listed.

RESOLVED That:

(1)    The statistical data in relation to the number of complaints received and dealt with is noted.

(2)    Statistical data in relation to the number of complaints received and dealt with is presented to the Committee at each meeting.

The Standards Committee to review its Training Strategy for all Members of the Council in relation to ethical and governance matters and specific training for Members of the Standards Committee.

The Standards Committee reviewed its Training Strategy noting the training listed. Training from the Strategy would commence in October 2018.

It was suggested that as Parish Councils are invited to attend training sessions that “Parish Councillors” is included in the Training Strategy.

AGREED:  1) That the Training Strategy is noted and it will be further reviewed in September 2019.

                     2) That “Parish Councillors” is included within the Training Strategy.

The Standards Committee to receive a verbal update on scheduled training.

The Standards Committee was reminded of the first modules of training that would be delivered in October 2018.  They would be delivered by an external trainer and would cover:

Module One

The Code of Conduct and local arrangements for case handling. This would look at both ‘behavioural’ aspects of the Code and rules around registration and declaration of interests.  The Trainers will use real case examples.

Module Two

An introduction to Local Authorities as corporate bodies, the constitution and principles of decision making; member - officer roles and working; and the roles of the statutory officers

It was noted that all Councillors, co optees and Parish Councillors had been invited to attend the training.  Disappointment was conveyed that just two Parish Councillors had booked onto the training sessions.

Details of the training was noted.