Issue - meetings

Executive Board considered the attached report:-

RECOMMENDED: That Council adopt the proposals for revised Standards arrangements as set out in Appendix 2 attached to the report.

            The Board considered a report of the Operational Director, Legal and Democratic Services which provided an update on the amended Standards Regime.

            The Board was advised that the Localism Act 2011 would come into effect from 1 July 2012. After that time, Councils would have to adopt a code of conduct and put in place arrangements for dealing with complaints. It was noted that the authority would remain under a duty to promote and maintain high standards of conduct for its Elected and Co-opted Members.

            Full details of the proposed changes were attached to the report at Appendix 1; this covered the creation of a newly constituted Standards Committee, the adoption of a new Code of Conduct governing Elected and Co-opted Members, arrangements for dealing with Misconduct Complaints, the appointment by Council of an Independent Person, the register of Members’ Interests, Dispensations and Transitional Arrangements.

            It was further noted that Appendix 3 contained details of model “arrangements” for dealing with standards allegations. It was proposed that these arrangements would provide for the Monitoring Officer to be appointed as the Proper Officer to receive complaints of failure to comply with the Code of Conduct and to be given delegated power to determine (after consultation with the Independent Person), whether a complaint merited formal investigation.

            RESOLVED: That Council be recommended to adopt the proposals as set out in Appendix 2 attached to the report.