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 the attached report of the Operational Director, Legal and Democratic Services/Monitoring Officer, which summarised the work of the Standards Committee in its Annual Report.

RESOLVED: That the report be noted.

          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 the major changes to the Standards regime following the implementation of the Localism Act 2011 had become embedded during the municipal year. The Standards Committee was 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 provisions of the Localism Act, and all were invited to each meeting of the Committee. The Committee met on two occasions during the year.

The Leader and Chief Executive had attended the April meeting to discuss standards issues from their perspective. It was also an opportunity for them to demonstrate their commitment to the work of the Committee and to the upholding of the highest possible standards of conduct in Halton.

Members then discussed areas of work in which the Committee could be involved, and which came within the remit of the Committee.

RESOLVED: That

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

2)    an invitation be extended again to the Parish Councils for nominations to the two vacant positions on the Standards Committee; and

3)    the Committee receive a report on the Council’s Whistleblowing Policy as far as it relates to the remit of the Committee.