Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Braidwood.

To receive any declarations of interest.  Members are advised to consider the advice contained within the Declaration of Interest advice attached to this Agenda.  If a Member declares an interest, they should complete the Declaration of Interest Form 

Tim Howes, Director of Corporate Governance and Monitoring Officer declared an interest in agenda item 4, recognising that he would be a non-voting participant in the deliberations.

No declarations of interest were received from Members of the Standards Committee.

To approve the Minutes of the meeting of Standards Committee held on 7 March 2019, copy attached.

Councillor Dexter proposed, Parish Councillor Quittenden seconded and it was agreed that the minutes of the Standards Committee held on 7 March 2019 be approved and signed by the Chairman.

Tim Howes, Director of Corporate Governance and Monitoring Officer presented the report.

Members asked questions and the following was discussed and changes were proposed:

·  Members were advised that committees are presented with an Exclusion of Press and Public report and it is at the discretion of the committee whether to hear matters in private but there is a presumption that personnel matters are held in private.

·  There is a recruitment process with set criteria for the appointment of independent persons.

·  Clarification/re-wording is needed at 6.0, part a) of Annex 2 relating to timescales and review period for suspensions.

·  It was requested that 7.8 of Annex 2 be amended, adding “she” and “her” as appropriate.

Councillor Campbell proposed, Councillor Crittenden seconded and Members agreed the following recommendations subject to the above amendments:

a) to extend the terms of reference of the General Purposes Committee, as set out in Annex 1;

b) to appoint a Disciplinary Appeals Committee and agree its terms of reference, as set out in Annex 1, and agree the Committee should comprise five Members of the Council appointed on a politically proportionate basis;

c) to appoint an Independent Persons Panel, agree its terms of reference, as set out in Annex 1, and agree that it should comprise three Independent Persons;

d) to agree to pay a fee to Independent Persons appointed to the Independent PersonsPanel equal to the agreed rate paid in respect of their role in advising Council on Councillor Conduct issues;

e) to amend the Employment Rules, as set out in Annex 2;

f) to delegate to the Committee Services Manager authority to invite and appoint

members to serve on the Independent Persons Panel as set out in paragraph 5 of the report, and;

g) to delegate to the Chief Executive (in consultation with Chairman of the General Purposes Committee) the authority to suspend the S.151 Officer or the Monitoring Officer in cases of urgency, as set out in paragraph 9