Agenda item

The Council considered a report of the Director of Legal and Democratic Services which provided an overview of the work of the Standards Committee during 2023/24 and to set out the future direction which the Committee intended to take during 2024/25 (for copy see file of Minutes).

Councillor Rooney, Chair of the Standards Committee presented the annual report of the Standards Committee for the period 2023/24.

The report set out the Membership of the committee and included an update on the three new independent persons appointed by the Committee in June 2023. Councillor Rooney confirmed that Alan Fletcher, existing Independent Person agreed to extend his term for a further two years until September 2025. The Committee were fortunate to have four Independent Members to support the Monitoring Officer and the Committee with member code of conduct issues. All of them had received induction training and had the opportunity to attend external training in relation to their role.

The Committee’s Work Programme was consistent with the terms of reference set out in the report at paragraph 13 and was attached at Appendix 2 to the report. The Committee had continued to monitor standards and governance issues nationally. The Committee had kept up to date with developments in relation to the Debate Not Hate Campaign since it had become a signatory to the Local Government Association Debate Not Hate statement in January 2023.

It was reassuring that the Council already reflected the majority of best practice recommendations in relation to its arrangements for supporting Councillors who experienced abuse. Some of those arrangements had been used by the LGA as case studies to demonstrate best practice. The Committee was overseeing the development of a Zero-Tolerance Approach to Abuse Policy, which would be shared with members and presented to a future meeting of Council during the coming year.

In respect of complaints, there had been fewer complaints received in 2023/24 when compared with the previous year. There was also a decrease in the number of complaints where local resolution had been recommended. A similar trend was observed in relation to complaints where no further action had been recommended. However, the number of complaints referred to investigation was higher than last year. A breakdown of the costs to the Council of dealing with Member Code of Conduct matters had also been provided within the report.

The report also set out the training that had been provided to the Independent Persons and elected members.  Looking ahead the Committee had agreed a work programme for 2024/25 which included the usual standing agenda items, the zero tolerance to abuse policy, and a review of the Procedure for Member Code of Conduct complaints. The work programme would continue to be a living document, which could be updated to reflect any developments within the Committee's remit throughout the year.

Finally, Councillor Rooney thanked the Monitoring Officer and her team for their continuing work with the Committee in assisting to ensure that high standards were achieved by all locally elected members.

In response to a question from Councillor Bihari, the Deputy Monitoring Officer clarified that the figure quoted in paragraph 25 of the report in relation to costs incurred for Parish and Towns should read £44,163.92 and not £44,163,92.

Resolved:

That the report be noted.