Minutes for Standards Committee meeting, Nov 9 2010, 7.00PM official page

To note any replacements notified to the Chief Executive in accordance with Council procedures.

Members and Officers are invited to notify the Chairman of other business which they wish to be discussed at the end of either Part I or Part II business.  In so doing, the Member(s)/Officer(s) concerned must state the special circumstances which they consider justify the matter being raised as a matter of urgency.

 

The Chairman will decide whether the item(s) raised shall be considered under ‘Other Business’.

To consider the recommendations in the attached report.

On 10 June 2010 the Chair of Standards for England (SfE) wrote to all Standards Committee Chairmen, confirming that following an announcement in the Queen’s Speech that the proposed Decentralisation and Localism bill would include proposals to ‘abolish the Standards Board regime’, until such time as the relevant legislation is passed, the statutory framework remains operative.

 

The Communities Minister, Andrew Stunell formally announced on 20 September 2010 that the Standards Regime is to be abolished.  Proposals will be contained in the Localism Bill to be published in November 2010.  Members will have to register certain personal interests in a publicly available register.  New legislation will make failure to register an interest or deliberately seeking to mislead the public about an interest a criminal offence.  For the time being, however, the Code of Conduct continues to apply.

 

The Minister’s announcement, of which a copy is attached can be viewed on the CLG website at this link Stunell - Corrupt councillors will go to court not Standards committees - Newsroom - Department for Communities and Local Government

 

Copies of letters from Mr Hershbein to the Minister and to the Council Leader expressing concerns about the abolition of the regime are attached.  Replies will be tabled.

 

A copy of the latest SfE Bulletin (August 2010) is attached setting out the anticipated timetable for final closure of the SfE between 31 December 2011 and 31 March 2012.

 

InIn the current municipal year four new complaints have been received.

 

The first concerned a complaint by a member of the public about two Parish Councillors in respect of which the Assessment Sub-Committee resolved to take no action against one of the subject members and that the complaint about a second Parish Councillor be investigated.  The investigation is ongoing.

 

The second concerned a complaint by two members of the public concerning a Town Councillor in respect of which the Assessment Sub-Committee resolved to take no action.

 

The third concerned a complaint by an individual against two District Councillors in respect of which the Assessment Sub-Committee resolved to take no action on either complaint and their decisions were upheld by the Review Sub-Committee following a request for review in both cases.

 

The fourth concerns a complaint by a member of the public about four District Councillors which was received on 19 October 2010 and will be reported to the Assessment Sub-Committee on 16 November 2010.

To note that future meetings of the main Committee for the remainder of the current municipal year (7pm starts) are scheduled to take place on the following dates:

 

• 8 February 2011 at 7pm
• 12 April 2011 at 7pm.

 

To note that future meetings of the Assessment Sub-Committee for the remainder of the current municipal year (daytime) are scheduled to take place on the following dates:

 

• 16 November 2010 ( Mr Hershbein, Councillors Ellis and Young only)
• 15 December 2010
• 14 January 2011
• 15 February 2011
• 15 March 2011
• 13 April 2011
• 10 May 2011.