Agenda and draft minutes

To appoint a Vice-Chair for the meeting.

RESOLVED: Councillor B Ayres was appointed Vice-Chair for the meeting.

To receive any apologies of absence.

Apologies of absence were received from Councillor S Ring and S Sandell.

To approve the minutes of the previous Standards Committee held on the 25^th March 2025 and 7^th May 2025.

RESOLVED: The minutes from the meeting held on the 25^th March 2025 and 7^th May 2025 were agreed as a correct record.

Please indicate if there are any interest 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 time 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 none.

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 none.

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The Deputy Monitory Officer presented the report.

The Chair invited questions and comments from the Committee.

Councillor Osborne referred to page 17, 2.1 and sought clarification on the discrepancy in the number of complaints against Borough Councillors 

The Deputy Monitoring Officer confirmed the correct number of complaints against Borough Councillors were 7 for 2024-2025. 

Councillor Bearshaw referred to page 18, 4.1 and commented out of 14 Parish Councillor complaints in which 4 were made about the same Councillor. He asked if this was an ongoing concern.

The Deputy Monitoring Officer explained it was difficult to step in with Parish Council’s however the independent person would provide a view and recommend a proposal.

In response to a further question from Councillor Bearshaw, the Deputy Monitoring Officer explained complaints against Parish Councillors were sent to the Parish Clerk.

RESOLVED: To note the contents of this report together with Appendices A and B, in the interests of promoting high standards of conduct by Councillors and co-opted members.

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The Deputy Monitory Officer presented the report.

The Chair invited questions and comments from the Committee.

Councillor Osborne thanked the Deputy Monitoring Officer for the further explanation and commented debates would be helped by the dispensation. 

The Deputy Monitoring Officer explained the debate was still able to take place without the Members who had an interest in the room and points of principle were being raised.

Councillor Bearshaw referred to the example used in relation to Planning and the Deputy Monitoring Officer commented the point was noted however the rationale was Council Tax affected the majority of residents within the Borough.

The Deputy Monitoring Officer highlighted to the Committee the dispensation was until the next election date not just for 2025 to 2026.

RESOLVED: The Standards Committee were requested to:

1. To issue dispensations to all Members for the following matters relating to Council

Tax, until the next ordinary date of elections:

i. To participate and vote on the Budget and the setting of Council Tax, including

where the interest is as the owner of an additional property or as beneficiary of

Council Tax Support.

ii. To participate and vote on any Council Tax discount, levy or premium on

dwellings occupied periodically (second homes) and empty & unfurnished

properties, including where the interest is as the owner of an additional

property.

iii. To participate and vote on the Council Tax Support scheme for working age

people, including where the interest is as a claimant of Council Tax Support.

iv. To participate and vote on the scheme of Business Rates discretionary reliefs

including where the interest is as a business rate payer in the Borough.

v. To participate and vote on the scheme of Council Tax discretionary reliefs,

including where the interest is as a beneficiary of the relief in the Borough.

To be scheduled.

The next meeting was to be scheduled when required.