Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed everyone to the Committee.

The Democratic Services Officer read out the emergency evacuation procedure as set out on the agenda.

Cyril Davies sent his apologies for the meeting.

At this point in the meeting declarations of interest are received from Members in any of the agenda items under consideration at the meeting. Members are asked to indicate:

(a) The agenda item number in which they have an interest to declare.

(b) The nature of their interest.

(c) Whether their interest is a disclosable pecuniary interest or an other interest,  (as defined in Part 2, A and B of the Code of Conduct and Rules for Registration of Interests)

Any Member who needs to clarify any matters relating to the declaration of interests is recommended to seek advice from the Council’s Monitoring Officeror a member of his staff before the meeting to expedite dealing with the item during the meeting.

Councillor Sarah Bevan declared a non-pecuniary interest in Agenda Item 12, in that her ward was next to Dunkerton.

There was none.

There were none.

There were none.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting on 17^th September 2015 be confirmed as a correct record and be signed by the Chair(person).

RESOLVED

1)  that the schedule of dates for the Standards Committee be noted;

2)  that the 28^th January 2016 meeting be cancelled; and

3)  that a further date be sought between the January and March meetings.

RESOLVED that the Workplan for Standards Committee be noted.

The Committee is asked to consider passing the following resolution:

“that having been satisfied that the public interest would be better served by not disclosing relevant information, in accordance with the provisions of Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following item(s) of business and the reporting of the meeting be prevented under Section 100A(5A) because of the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 1 and 2 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, as amended.   

RESOLVED that, the Committee having been satisfied that the public interest would be better served by not disclosing relevant information in accordance with the provisions of Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public shall be excluded from the remainder of meeting business because of the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 1 and 2 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, as amended.

The Chair followed the procedure where an investigating officer has been appointed (appendix 2 open).

Simon Barnes, the Investigating Officer, presented the report and outlined the complaints.

One of the subject members/complainant was present and made a statement to the Committee.

Following an adjournment where the officers and the subject member/complainant left the meeting to allow members of the Committee to consider their decision, it was

RESOLVED that

The Standards Committee carefully considered the complaints listed 1-12 in the report, the Investigating Officer’s report, the evidence presented and the statements made at the meeting.  It concluded that there was one breach of the Code of Conduct (complaint 3).

The Committee concluded that there were no breaches of the Code of Conduct in respect of all the other complaints.

As the Councillor in question was no longer a Councillor, the Committee had no power to issue any sanction.

The Committee recommended that the Parish Council and Clerk review their Standing Orders and undertake training in the Code of Conduct.