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Agenda and minutes

Venue: Virtual via Webex

Contact: Duncan Jowitt  Democratic Services 0fficer

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Items
No. Item

7.

Declarations of Interest

Members will declare any pecuniary or significant other interests they have in relation to the items on this agenda.

Minutes:

None

8.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 121 KB

Confirmation of the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 19 November 2020.

Minutes:

The minutes of the Standards Committee meeting of 19 November 2020 were approved as a correct record.

9.

Model Code of Conduct pdf icon PDF 225 KB

Report of the Monitoring Officer.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Monitoring Officer (MO) submitted a report providing the latest update on the Model Councillor Code of Conduct (MCCC) after the LGA had circulated the revised MCCC on 23 December 2020 following a lengthy consultation period.

 

The MO explained that the MCCC set out in detail the standards expected of councillors and that in many areas, the content was similar to that already included in Wyre’s current Code, although it included more explanatory notes in terms of definitions.

 

She informed the committee that the LGA, in association with ADSO, intended to produce further guidance to accompany the MCCC, which we hoped might be by the end of April 2021.

 

She also pointed out that the MCCC did not suggest the introduction of additional sanctions for any breaches of the Code as that would require a change in the legislation and suggested that it may be some time before the Government considered doing so.

 

Decision

 

The committee agreed to wait until we had received the additional guidance and then at the next Standards Committee meeting, consider setting up a working group to review Wyre’s Code in line with the MCCC.

 

 

10.

CSPL local government ethical standards 15 best practice recommendations pdf icon PDF 199 KB

Centre for Standards in Public Life (CSPL) report attached.

Minutes:

The MO pointed out that, as Wyre already had the majority of the best practice recommendations in place, there was no cause for concern.

 

Decision

 

The committee agreed that, when the working group reviewed Wyre’s Code of Conduct, the best practice recommendations would form part of that process.

 

11.

Current Complaints: Summary pdf icon PDF 107 KB

Schedule prepared by the Monitoring Officer, attached

 

The Monitoring Officer will report verbally on the latest position with regard to the complaints listed and any issues arising from them and will present a proposal to change to reporting complaints to Standards Committee annually utilising a statistical approach, rather than presenting them to each meeting. This would provide the option to keep the same number of scheduled meetings and cancel Standards Committee meetings where there was no other business to transact.

Minutes:

The MO had reported on the first three complaints listed on the schedule at the November 2020 Standards Committee meeting. Those had been progressed since that meeting and that there were six new complaints.

 

2020/02

This complaint had been ongoing for some time and the IP, MO and Subject Member (SM) had held a number of meetings in an attempt to deal with the matter informally. Those meetings had been unsuccessful and the procedure had moved to the next stage. There was a possibility that a formal hearing would be necessary, however this would not happen until after the elections in May 2021.Complaint ongoing.

 

2020/05

Following an interview with the SM, the IP and MO had concluded that no breach of the code had occurred. No further action.

 

2020/06

The MO had reported at the November meeting that she had requested further information about this complaint. The MO had now received this and the IP and MO had concluded that the SM was not acting in their capacity as a Councillor and therefore no breach of the code had occurred. No further action.

 

2020/07

A member of the public had submitted a complaint against a Town/Parish Councillor alleging inappropriate behaviour and disrespect at a Wyre Council meeting that the SM had attended. On reviewing the recording and the minutes from the meeting, the IP and MO concluded that the SM was attending as a member of the public and therefore no breach of the code had occurred. No further action.

 

2020/08

Two complaints had been received about a Wyre Councillor and their activity on social media. The IP and MO had reviewed the postings and concluded no breach of the code had occurred. No further action.

 

2020/09

Although initially registered as a complaint, the MO had resolved the matter informally by providing advice to the Town/Parish council on how to deal with the matter that had occurred. No further action.

 

2020/10

A member of the public had complained about a Town/Parish Councillor. Since the publishing of the papers for this meeting, a meeting with the SM has taken place. The MO had requested further information from the complainant to support the allegations. Complaint on-going.

 

2021/01
Complaint from two Wyre Councillors about another Wyre Councillor’s behaviour at a Council meeting. The IP and MO had viewed the recordings of the meetings and interviewed the SM. In the process of being concluded.

 

2021/02

Complaint from a Wyre Councillor about the behaviour of a number of Wyre Councillors at a Council meeting, with allegations of a number of principles having been breached. The IP and MO had viewed the recordings, held discussions with Members and had dealt with the matter informally. In the process of being concluded.

 

Behaviour at virtual meetings

One of the complainants had also passed comment on the behaviour of some of the Wyre Councillors at a meeting stating that some members were not paying attention or looked disinterested, etc. The MO explained that although  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.

12.

Date of next Meeting

The next scheduled meeting of the Committee is due to be held at 6pm on 17 June 2021.

Minutes:

Noted that the next scheduled meeting of the Committee was schedule to be held at 6pm on Thursday 17 June 2021

 

 

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