Issue - meetings

Standards Committee had considered the Annual Report of the Operational Director/ Monitoring Officer, which summarised the work of the Committee in the last Municipal Year.

RECOMMENDED: That the report be noted and referred to Council for information.

          Standards Committee had considered a report of the Operational Director, Legal and Democratic Services/Monitoring Officer, which summarised the work of the Committee in the last Municipal Year.

RESOLVED: That Council note the Standards Committee Annual Report.

          The Committee considered a report of the Operational Director, Legal and Democratic Services /Monitoring Officer, which summarised the work of the Committee in the last Municipal Year.

The Committee noted that there had been major changes to the Standards Committee following on from the implementation of the relevant provisions of the Localism Act 2011. The Standards Committee was now made up of nine Elected Members and two co-opted Independent Members - Mr Tony Luxton and Mrs Anita Morris. It was reported that the positions for the two co-opted Parish Council Members had remained vacant throughout the year.

It was further noted that the Council had appointed three independent persons under the provision of the Localism Act, and all were invited to each meeting of the Committee. The Committee met three times during the year.

The Monitoring Officer reported that upon inspection, he was satisfied that the Register of Gifts and Hospitality was being used appropriately by Elected Members. In addition, the Committee had received a report on the changes to the format for the consideration of complaints, which had been approved and formally endorsed by full Council. A revised Code of Conduct for Members and Co-opted members had been considered by the Committee and referred to full Council for adoption in July 2012. This incorporated the new Statutory Classes of Disclosable Pecuniary Interests and Other Disclosable Interests.

It was also reported that training was made available to all Members of the Council on the effects of the new Code and the registration and declaration requirements. Members considered the frequency and effectiveness of training for Elected Members on such issues including the promotion of high standards of conduct by Councillors. Consideration was given to the production of a concise document which acted as an aide memoir for Members. In addition, Members also requested clarity on the definition of a politically restricted post and requested details of such posts identified within the Authority.

Other guidance and documents considered by the Committee during the year included the Department for Communities and Local Government guidance on personal interests, a report on Standards in Public Life, the role of Parish Clerks and consideration of the position with regard to dispensations for Members taking decisions on the setting of Council Tax.

RESOLVED: That

1)    the report be noted and referred to Council for information; and

2)    a report be brought to the next meeting of the Committee which provided detail on the politically restricted posts identified within Halton Borough Council.