Agenda item

The Committee received and noted the Monitoring Officer’s annual report about decisions taken on standards allegations against borough and parish councillors for the 12-month period ending 31 December 2018.

The Committee noted that during this period, there had been 16 complaints in total, of which seven were regarding parish councillors and nine were regarding borough councillors.

Thirteen of the complaints were the subject of no further action at stage 1, the initial jurisdiction test. Two of the complaints proceeded to stage 2, and one proceeded to stage 3, investigation - after which no further action was taken.

Aside from one complaint (where the identity of the complainant was being treated as confidential), all of the complaints were made by members of the public.

The report had also recorded the time taken for consideration and determination of each complaint. 

The Monitoring Officer reported that there was no common theme amongst the complaints.

The Committee were also informed that the Committee on Standards in Public Life (CSPL), had published its report on Local Government Ethical Standards, details of which, including its key recommendations, were set out in the report submitted to the Committee.

The CSPL report acknowledged that many of their recommendations would require changes in either primary or secondary legislation, most notably the headline recommendation (no.16) that local authorities should have the power to suspend errant councillors, without allowances, for up to six months.  However, CSPL had identified 15 examples of best practice, which they had invited councils to consider introducing as soon as possible in advance of any legislative changes.

The Committee noted each of the 15 best practice recommendations, together with commentary regarding the Council’s current practices and an assessment of the extent to which they were compliant with best practice.

Having agreed that the Council should strive to achieve compliance with the best practice recommendations, the Committee

RESOLVED:

(1)     That the cases referred to the Monitoring Officer under the Council’s arrangements for dealing with allegations of misconduct for the period 1 January 2018 to 31 December 2018, be noted.

(2)     That the Monitoring Officer be advised that there are no areas of concern upon which the Committee would like further information and/or further work carried out.

(3)     That the summary of the recommendations of the report of the Committee on Standards in Public Life (CSPL), Local Government Ethical Standards, as set out in Appendix 2 to the report submitted to the Committee be noted.

(4)     That the Monitoring Officer be authorised to take the necessary steps to ensure compliance with the 15 best practice recommendations contained in the CSPL report, as set out in Appendix 3 to the report submitted to the Committee; and submit reports as appropriate to this Committee in due course.

Reasons:

·      To ensure members of the Committee and others to whom the report is circulated are kept up to date with standards complaints relevant to the Committee, and kept up to date with the relevant findings of the review undertaken in 2018 by the Committee on Standards in Public Life of Local Government Ethical Standards.

·      To consider learning points for the future.

·      To seek to promote and maintain high standards of conduct amongst Members.