Issue - meetings

Councillor Ashbee proposed, Councillor Pugh seconded and Council agreed the recommendations from the Constitutional Review Working Party and Standards Board as follows:

1.  That paragraph 2.1.1 (Procedure on Receipt of a Complaint), section involving “Investigation Deadline”, be amended to 20 days and

2.  That the membership of hearing sub-committees continued to include an independent member as the Chair of the hearings.

Sameera Khan, Interim Head of Legal & Monitoring Officer, introduced the report and explained that the amendments to the complaint handling arrangements were complementary to the previous item on the amended code of conduct. In addition Sameera Khan also explained that the CRWP had made a recommendation that the investigating officer would notify the subject within 20 days

Members then discussed the report and made the following points:

·  What was the reasoning for extending the days for notifying the subject to 20 days?

·  Increasing the time for notification could have a negative impact on the subject

·  Extending to 20 days did make sense, but ideally 10 days should be limit due to the impact it might have on the subject

·  The new electronic form would alienate people who don’t have internet access or the ability to use the internet freely

·  The wording of the new proposals and procedures could be too complex for people to fully understand

Sameera Khan made the following points in response:

·  The process of appointing an investigating officer can be a problem if that officer is already busy, this is often the case if they are external to the Council. This was the reason for the proposed extension

·  The electronic form would not stop people from making a complaint as writing an email would still be just as valid

·  The wording provided for the procedures was standard wording provided by the Kent Secretaries and based on the work of the LGA

Councillor Crittenden proposed, Councillor Bayford seconded and members AGREED:

·  The 2.1.1 (Procedure on Receipt of a Complaint), section involving “Investigation Deadline”, be amended to 20 days

Councillor Scobie proposed, Councillor Fellows seconded and members AGREED:

·  The Standards Committee agreed the other recommendation from the CRWP, namely that membership of hearing sub-committees continue to include an independent member as the chair of the hearing panel and recommended the remaining amended arrangements to Council