Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED:  That Councillor Lesley Bambridge be appointed as Chair for the Hearing.

Apologies were received from Councillor Howland and Amanda Orchard (Independent Person)

Please indicate if there are any interests which should be declared.  A declaration of interest should indicate the nature of the interest (if not already declared on the Register of Interests) and the agenda item to which it relates.  It a disclosable pecuniary interest is declared, the Member should withdraw from the room whilst that matter is discussed.

These declarations apply to all Members present, whether the Member is part of the meeting, attending to speak as a local Member on any item or simply observing from the public seating area.

There were no declarations of interest.

To consider passing the following resolution:

“That under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act, 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act”.

RESOLVED:  That under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 7 of Part 1of Schedule 12A to the Act.

The Chairman welcomed everyone to the Hearing and introduced the Panel and Officers.

The Monitoring Officer ran through procedural matters.  She explained that the Independent person was now not able to attend the Hearing but her views had been sought and included within the report.  The Panel agreed to continue with the hearing.

The Monitoring Officer also asked the Panel to disregard pages 35-40 within the paperwork as she would be revisiting that decision notice. The Panel agreed to disregard the decision notice.

The Monitoring Officer also advised that the Subject Member’s Representative had sent in submissions which had not been included within the paperwork and therefore she suggested that the Subject Member’s Representative could provide a brief explanation of the issues before questioning the investigator. 

At the invitation of the Chairman, the Investigating Officer presented his report.

The Panel was invited to ask questions of the Investigating Officer.

The Investigating Officer responded to questions from the Panel.

The Chair invited the Subject Member’s Representative to summarise the defence that he was presenting today.

The Subject Member’s Representative asked questions of the Investigating Officer.

At 2.00 pm during the Subject Member’s Representative questioning of the Investigating Officer the Monitoring Officer proposed that the hearing be adjourned to investigate IT issues, which was agreed.

Upon reconvening at 2.05 pm, the Subject Member’s Representative continued questioning of the Investigating Officer.

The Panel agreed that Standing Order 34 should be set aside for the purpose of the hearing.

The Chair then invited the Subject Member’s Representative to present his case.

The Subject Member’s Representative then called Councillor Parish as a witness and asked questions of him.

The Investigating Officer confirmed that he had no questions of the witness.

The Panel then asked a question of the Subject Member’s Representative.

The Monitoring Officer provided advice to all parties relating to Freedom of Speech.

The Investigating Officer then summed up the complaint.

The Subject Member’s Representative then summed up his case.

The Monitoring Officer outlined her role in the decision making process to all parties.

At 2.55 pm, the Panel retired to consider the decision in private.

The Panel reconvened at 3.30 pm.

The Chairman read out the Decision a copy of which is attached to the minutes.