Agenda item

Consideration was given to the 2012/13 Annual Report of the Committee on Standards in Public Life (CSPL)(for copy see file of Minutes).

The Deputy Monitoring Officer presented the Annual Report, focusing on the section which related specifically to Local Government Standards. Members were advised that in relation to the new local government standards regime, while the CSPL recognised that the new system was still in its infancy, it did highlight several concerns.

One of the concerns raised by CSPL was a lack of meaningful sanctions now available to Standards Committees under the new regime, as such the report suggested that the internal discipline procedures within political parties might offer more scope for stronger sanctions.

Members queried how this could be applied to Independent members who did not belong to a political party, given that Durham County Council did have a significant proportion of such members. The Deputy Monitoring Officer clarified that the report looked to identify different options for how standards could be maintained in a regime which offered less sanctions. In the absence of a political party, then that particular avenue would not be an option.

Members agreed that it was still early days for the new standards system, therefore it would be wise to continue to observe how it developed over time.

Resolved:

That the report be noted.