Meeting documents

Standards Committee (SBC)
Thursday 3 November 2005 1.00 pm

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Agenda and Minutes

Standards Committee
Thursday, 3rd November, 2005 1.00 p.m.

Venue: Council Chamber, Council Offices, Spennymoor

Contact: Miss. S. Billingham, Spennymoor 816166, Ext 4240, sbillingham@sdgefield.gov.uk

Items
No.	Item
7.	DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST To notify the Chairman of any items that appear later in the agenda in which you may have an interest. Minutes: Members had no interests to declare.
8.	MINUTES PDF 71 K To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 7^th July 2005. Minutes: The Minutes of the meeting held on 7^th July 2005 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman. Specific reference was made to Minute No: ST.5/05 - Discussion Paper: Constitutional Review of Member Involvement - it was explained that the report had been considered by all three Overview and Scrutiny Committees and also by Cabinet, where it had been agreed.
9.	STANDARDS TRAINING UPDATE A verbal presentation will be given at the meeting by Solicitor to the Council and Monitoring Officer. Minutes: Members were informed that consultation would be taking place between the Solicitor to the Council and Monitoring Officer and the Town and Parish Councils regarding their training needs. A programme of training would be produced and finalised for early next year. Members were reminded that any training needs or areas where support was required should be identified through the Member Development Programme. Detailed consideration was given to the procedures followed by Durham Constabulary when dealing with licensing applications, specifically when objecting. The Solicitor to the Council and Monitoring Officer informed Members that a meeting had taken place between the Chief Executive Officer and Durham Constabulary to address the issue.
10.	SUMMARY OF STANDARDS BOARD CONFERENCE: BIRMINGHAM 2005 PDF 87 K Report of Solicitor to the Council and Monitoring Officer attached. Minutes: Consideration was given to a report of the Solicitor to the Council and Monitoring Officer, which detailed the principal messages taken from the Fourth Assembly of Standards Committees held on 5^th and 6^th September 2005 (for copy see file of Minutes). Members were informed of the Standards Board recommendations regarding the review of the Code of Conduct to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM), together with the keynote messages of the presentation, which were delivered by David Prince, Chief Executive of the Standards Board. Reference was made to: · The progress made since the previous years conference · The development of the Ethical Governance Toolkit · The CPA Key Lines of Enquiry · The Graham Committee and the ODPM Select Committee With regard to the key lines of enquiry for the forthcoming CPA it was explained that there would be much more focus on the links between good performance and the ethical agenda. It was pointed out that those Authorities who received an excellent outcome in performance were usually ethically sound. Detailed discussion was raised regarding the possible increase of independent members. Members of the Standards Committee pointed out that the increase would be beneficial in providing a balance in considering local issues. It was also questioned, in relation to training whether a mock trial hearing could be arranged for Members to become familiar with proceedings. I. Jamieson reported that he had attended such a training event at Durham County Council and had found it to be a valuable experience. It was agreed the suggestion would be examined. RECOMMENDED: That the report be agreed.
11.	ARRANGEMENTS FOR REVIEW OF THE CONSTITUTION PDF 108 K To consider a report of the Chief Executive Officer containing proposals for a review and changes to the Constitution. Additional documents: page-0001 TIF 69 K page-0002 TIF 88 K page-0003 TIF 84 K page-0004 TIF 68 K page-0005 TIF 97 K page-0006 TIF 83 K page-0007 TIF 41 K page-0008 TIF 93 K page-0009 TIF 90 K page-0010 TIF 82 K page-0011 TIF 36 K page-0012 TIF 88 K page-0013 TIF 79 K page-0014 TIF 89 K page-0015 TIF 29 K page-0016 TIF 96 K page-0017 TIF 95 K page-0018 TIF 27 K page-0019 TIF 75 K page-0020 TIF 78 K page-0021 TIF 86 K page-0022 TIF 75 K page-0023 TIF 63 K page-0024 TIF 93 K page-0025 TIF 84 K page-0026 TIF 100 K page-0027 TIF 81 K page-0028 TIF 70 K page-0029 TIF 62 K page-0030 TIF 65 K page-0031 TIF 63 K page-0032 TIF 57 K page-0033 TIF 62 K page-0034 TIF 69 K page-0035 TIF 75 K page-0036 TIF 84 K page-0037 TIF 92 K page-0038 TIF 89 K page-0039 TIF 94 K page-0040 TIF 90 K page-0041 TIF 76 K page-0042 TIF 91 K page-0043 TIF 76 K page-0044 TIF 73 K page-0045 TIF 60 K page-0046 TIF 82 K page-0047 TIF 76 K Rules of Procedure.jpg1 JPG 542 K Rules of Procedure 001 JPG 451 K Rules of Procedure 002 JPG 584 K Rules of Procedure 003 JPG 513 K Rules of Procedure 004 JPG 540 K Rules of Procedure 005 JPG 249 K Minutes: Consideration was given to a report of the Chief Executive Officer regarding the need to regularly review the Constitution. (For copy see file of Minutes). Detailed consideration was given to the immediate changes that were recommended to be made to the Constitution following advice from the Council’s Monitoring Officer and meetings of the Constitution Review Group. AGREED: That Council be recommended to approve the amendments set out in the Appendix and direct the Council’s Monitoring Officer to: - a. amend the Constitution accordingly and make all necessary and consequential amendments. b. publish and amend the version on the Council’s website.
12.	DATE OF NEXT MEETING 9^th February 2006 at 1.00 p.m. in the Council Chamber, Council Offices, Spennymoor. Minutes: 9^th February 2006 at 1.00 p.m. in the Council Chamber, Council Offices, Spennymoor.