Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies for absence.

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The minutes of the meeting held on 27 October were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

Please indicate if there are any interests which should be declared. A declaration of an 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. If a disclosable pecuniary interest is declared, the Member should withdraw from the room whilst the 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 the meeting from the public seating area.

There were no declarations of interest.

To consider any business which, by reason of special circumstances, the Chair proposed to accept as urgent under Section 100(b)(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972.

There was no urgent business.

Members wishing to speak pursuant to Standing Order 34 should inform the Chair of their intention to do so and on what items they wish to be heard before a decision on that item is taken.

There were no Members present under Standing Order 34.

There was no Chair’s correspondence.

Please note the following documents will be published as a supplement:

·         Declarations of interest flow chart (revised version).

·         Draft Glossary

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The Monitoring Officer explained that following the previous meeting when the Committee had considered the LGS Mode of Conduct and Members had provided feedback and input to areas of the Council’s previous code which should remain in the new code and the Committee’s attention was drawn to the proposed amendments to the LGA Code which would fit better for the Council’s local purposes.  The Monitoring Officer had prepared a further draft for Members to consider.

The Committee’s attention was drawn to the supplement published entitled proposed additions to code of conduct document, a table which set out every single proposed change to the LGA Model Code and since a request to the LGA a word document of the Model Code of Conduct had been received and the proposed changes had been incorporated into the tracked document (highlighted in red) and a clean copy of the document had also been published.

The Monitoring Officer presented a revised flow chart which set out the process for declaration of interests.

The Monitoring Officer presented the proposed amendments to the Model Code highlighted in red on the tracked changes document.

The proposed changes/comments put forward by Members of the Committee set out below were agreed:

·         Bullying, Harassment and Discrimination – add “behaviour likely to cause offence, etc.”

·         Monitoring Officer to research if there was an available definition for the public interest test.

·         9.2 Interests – remove and/or the Council’s interest, remove reference to impartial.

·         12 – Disclosure of other interests – remove and/or the Council’s interest.

Councillor Nash requested that it be recorded in the minutes that he asked for a definition on the public interest test for the purpose of the Model Code of Conduct.

The Monitoring Officer explained that the complaints handling guidance/sanctions would be reviewed and presented to the Standards Committee at a future meeting.

The Committee was advised that the LGA had a training induction pack would be rolled out to all Borough and Parish/Town Councils.

The Monitoring Officer advised that a further meeting would be required towards the end of January in order that the recommendations could be considered by Cabinet on 7 February and to Full Council on 23 February 2023 for adoption.

RESOLVED: 1) The declarations of interest flow chart be published with all Council agendas with immediate effect.

2) Behaviours/Bullying, etc. – add work behaviour likely to cause offence to make clear the objective test.

3) The Monitoring Officer to research if there was an available definition for the public interest test.

4) Amendments set out above be incorporated into the Model Code of Conduct document.

To be convened when required.

Mid-end January 2023, date to be confirmed.