Agendas, Reports & Minutes of Meetings

Standards Committee

This page lists the meetings for Standards Committee.

Meetings

Information about Standards Committee

To discharge the functions (other than those which are reserved to Council) as set out in Part 1, Chapter 7 of the Localism Act 2011 including:

 

1.  To promote and maintain high standards of conduct by Members and co-opted Members of the District Council and to make recommendations to Council on improving standards.

 

2.  To advise and assist Parish/Town Councils and Parish/Town Councillors to maintain high standards of conduct and to make recommendations to Parish/Town Councils on improving standards.

 

3.  To advise the District Council on the adoption of or revisions to its Members Code of Conduct.

 

4.  To advise, train or arrange to train District Members, Co-opted Members and Parish/Town Councillors on matters relating to the Members Code of Conduct.

 

5.  To assist District Councillors, Co-opted Members and Parish/Town Councillors to observe their respective Codes of Conduct.

 

6.  To monitor and assess the operation and effectiveness of the Members Code of Conduct and to review and manage the Arrangements for dealing with Code of Conduct Complaints.

 

7.  To maintain oversight of the District Council’s arrangements for dealing with Code of Conduct complaints.

 

8.  To monitor and review the procedures for the Register of Members’ Interests and declaring gifts and hospitality.

 

9.  Recommending to Council for approval the terms of any other codes or protocols relating to matters of conduct, ethics or propriety, including without limitation the Protocol on Member/Officer Relations and the Protocol on the Guidance of Planning Committee Members and Officers and any alterations or amendments thereto. 

 

10.  Receiving the recommendations of the Constitution Review Working Party Working and recommending to Council the terms of the Constitution for the Governance of Thanet District Council

 

11.  To receive quarterly reports (or less frequently if there are no complaints to report) from the Monitoring Officer on the number and nature of complaints received and action taken as a result.

 

12.  To receive an annual report on the District] Council’s ethical governance arrangements.

 

13.  To grant dispensations pursuant to S33(2) of the Localism Act 2011 where:

 

13.1  without the dispensation, the representation of different political groups on the body transacting the business would be so upset as to alter the outcome of any vote on the matter.

 

13.2  that the authority considers that the dispensation is in the interests of persons living in its area; or 

 

13.3  where the Committee considers that it is otherwise appropriate to grant a dispensation. 

 

14.  Responsibility for establishing the following Advisory Sub Committees to carry out the following functions:-

 

14.1  A Standards Assessment Sub Committee with responsibility for making recommendations to the Monitoring Officer on whether in relation to a complaint alleging a failure to comply with the requirements of the Members Code of Conduct no further action should be taken in respect of the complaint or whether the informal disputes resolution procedure should be instigated or whether the complaint should be the subject of an investigation.

 

14.2  A Standards Hearings Sub Committee with responsibility for conducting a hearing into a complaint that has been referred to it by the Monitoring Officer and for making recommendations to the Monitoring Officer as to whether there has been a failure by a member to comply with the requirements of the Members Code of Conduct and if so, what action should be taken (if any) in respect of such failure. 

 

15.  Responsibility for the overview of the Council’s complaints procedure including ombudsman investigations.