Minutes for Standards Committee meeting, Jan 14 2010, 3.00PM official page

There were no apologies for absence.

In accordance with the Council’s Constitution, Members are asked to declare any personal or prejudicial interest they may have in any matter which is to be considered at this meeting.

There were no declarations of interest.

Agreed subject to the following amendment:

            Minute 49, paragraph 3, final sentence to read:

            “Fiona Fairweather (the Chair), Jennifer Spearman and Kevin Madden agreed to assist with this training.”

Minute 49, paragraph 2

Delbert Sandiford thanked the Monitoring Officer for linking him to the Standards for England Forum, stating that the site has potential.  Kevin Madden agreed with this, though noted that a considerable number of responses are received to the questions raised.

Agreed that the Monitoring Officer arrange for Fiona Fairweather and Frank Dignan to be linked to the site.  It was noted that Jennifer Spearman does not have internet access.

Minute 49, paragraph 3

The Monitoring Office provided an update on the Members’ comprehensive induction programme, advising that the training sessions that the Independent Members had agreed to assist with would take place during the week commencing 7 June 2010.

Minute 49, paragraph 4

The Monitoring Officer confirmed that Independent Members had accepted her invitation to attend the Assembly meeting on 24 March 2010, when the Chair (Fiona Fairweather) would be presenting the Standards Committee Annual Report.

The Monitoring Officer advised that even though Councillor R Bailey, leader of the British National Party group, had endeavoured to assist, Councillor R Doncaster had still not completed the Declaration of Related Party Transactions form and had not attended this meeting as requested. 

It was agreed to instruct the Monitoring Officer to write to Councillor R Doncaster again, with a copy to Councillor R Bailey, stating that (i) the Standards Committee is extremely concerned that he did not attend the meeting on 14 January as requested, (ii) urging him to attend the next meeting on Thursday, 4 March 2010, and (iii) advising him that if he fails to complete the form or attend on 4 March, the Standards Committee will then consider its options to deal with this failure.

The Standards Committee were pleased to note that the electronic version of the Senior Officer’s Gifts and Hospitality Registers is almost complete.

Received and noted this report which was presented by the Monitoring Officer.

It was further noted that:

1.         MC9/08    -     This complaint is in the public domain, following the hearing in September 2009.  The appeal will be heard by the Tribunal Service on Thursday, 21 January 2010 in Hammersmith.

2.         MC4/09    -     The identity of the subject Member is not in the public domain.  The Monitoring Officer reported that she had written to the subject Member in August and September 2009, following which in October 2009 the subject Member provided the Monitoring Officer with a signed undertaking that she would make the necessary apology.  Further reminders were sent to the subject Member on 2 November, 3 December and 8 January but, to the Monitoring Officer’s knowledge, the apology has still not been made.

                                    The Standards Committee discussed with the Legal Partner the options open to them and agreed to instruct the Monitoring Officer to write to the subject Member again, expressing their disappointment and advising her that if she does not comply with the undertaking to make the apology by the end of January 2010, the Standards Committee will consider any further action.

3.         MC6/09    -     The identity of the subject Member is not in the public domain.  A hearing will take place at the earliest opportunity in February/March 2010 at the Civic Centre on a date to be agreed, and to commence at 9am.  On publication of the agenda for the hearing, the subject Member’s identity will be in the public domain.

Received and noted the ongoing work programme.

The Standards Committee watched and discussed the assessment stage training DVD that had been produced by Standards for England.

Agreed to exclude the public and press for the remainder of the meeting, as the business was confidential.

The Chair reported that she had received further correspondence from the complainant, which she would be considering with the Legal Partner.