Meeting: County Council (County Hall, Durham - Council Chamber - 05/11/2008 10:00:00 AM)
Item: A8 Appointment of Independent Members to the Standards Committee
Purpose of the Report
1. To seek council’s agreement to initiate the recruitment of Independent Members to the Standards Committee from 1 April 2009.
Background
2. As an interim measure, in June Council agreed to the appointment of the Independent Members of the Police and Fire and Rescue Authorities’ Standards Committees to the Council’s Standards Committee and also agreed an extension to the term of office of one of the Council’s Standards Committee Independent Members for the transitional period to 31 March 2009.
Proposed Recruitment and Selection Process
3. Since all these terms of office now expire on 31 March 2009 (with the exception of the Independent Chairman whose term of office is due to expire in August 2009) it is therefore now timely to consider arrangements for the recruitment and selection of Independent Members to take up appointment from 1 April 2009.
4. It is proposed that the process be initiated forthwith, based on best practice and the guidance issued by the Standards Board for England. This will include public advertisement and formal interview with a panel of Members. In this way it is hoped to attract a wide field of candidates with the required skills and experience to perform this important role. (Current Independent Members of the District Councils’ Standards Committees whose terms of office will be drawing to a close may be interested in applying in view of their expertise/experience in this area).
Recommendations
(i) That the recruitment and selection process for the appointment of Independent Members of the Standards Committee be initiated.
(ii) That a cross party interview panel of Members be drawn from the Elected Members of the Standards Committee together with the Monitoring Officer and their recommendations for the appointment of Independent Members be submitted to Council for approval in due course.
Attachments