Agenda item

            The Committee received a report of the Strategic Director, Corporate and Policy which advised Members of the publication of guidance from Standards for England on Joint Standards Committees.

            Standards for England had recently published guidance on the establishment of Joint Standards Committees. The guidance reflected the Standards Committee (Further Provisions) (England) Regulation s 2009. These particular provisions were not mandatory.

            The Local Government Act 2000 provided that an Authority must set up a Standards Committee and that the Standards Committee (England) Regulations 2008 set out the rules governing the size and composition of a Standards Committee. The Standards Committee (Further Provisions) (England) Regulations 2000 enabled Joint Standards Committees to carry out any of the functions of a standards committee.

            It was noted that it was considered that joint arrangements were likely to be most useful where additional flexibility to deal with cases was needed, or where resources were limited and sharing them would benefit the successful management of the standards framework in the area.

            It was further noted that Standards for England had also identified a number of potential problems or issues with joint arrangements which were important to consider, as set out in the report.

            It must be remembered that the Standards framework became fully localised on 8^th May 2008 which reflected a general desire supported by the Standards Board, among those in the field, to be able to monitor their own complaints. The local standards framework also recognised that a knowledge of the local area and local situation could have a positive impact on finding the right solutions.

            Standards for England recognised that authorities would have different reasons for wanting or needing a Joint Standards Committee and had therefore identified three model structures for Joint Committees which they felt offered the most practical ways of operating joint arrangements, as set out in the report.

            The Committee was advised that the guidance went on to consider in detail the composition of Joint Standards Committees. The general rule that a Joint Committee was composed in the same way as an ordinary Standards Committee but with the changes necessary to reflect the fact that it was a Joint Committee. So, it must include at least one elected member of each authority involved in the joint arrangement, at least 25% of the Joint Committee members must independent members, at least three people must attend a Joint Standards Committee meeting, the chair of the Joint Standards Committee must always be an independent member. Also, an executive member was permitted to be on the Joint Standards Committee. There must also be at least two representatives from Parish or Town Councils, and the Parish or Town Council representative must be present on the Committee at all times when Parish matters were being discussed. There was no limit on the number of independent members.

            The guidance then detailed the arrangements for establishing membership. It must be remembered that authorities have a power and not a duty to establish Joint Committees and this was submitted for information at this stage.

            RESOLVED: That the report be noted.