Issue - meetings

The Monitoring Officer announced to the meeting that there was an item of urgent business, a report on Indemnities for Members and Officers.  She explained that at a meeting of Standards Committee on 23^rd October 2014 this report had been agreed and should have gone to Council previously but it had not.  She had reviewed the report and made a few minor amendments which were highlighted in Appendix 1.

The Chair agreed to add this urgent item to the agenda for the meeting and members took some time to read the report.

The Monitoring Officer explained her reasoning for changing the limit to costs incurred up to £2,000 per individual issue, was to prevent any abuse of the indemnity procedure.  During discussion of this issue the importance of the Council being transparent and accountable was raised.  The Monitoring Officer explained that if an indemnity were granted then a decision notice would be published, providing an auditable trail.  It was agreed that subject to a small amendment to reflect this, the report be accepted.

RESOLVED to recommend to Council that they grant an indemnity to members and officers of the Council in the terms set in the appendix to the report, with the agreed amendment see below, and authorise the extension of the Council’s liability under this indemnity in so far as such insurance would be financially prudent.

Appendix 1 - amendment

Section 6 – last sentence to read “… and the Monitoring Officer is authorised to endorse the payment of indemnity to any Member or officer up to a maximum of £50,000, such consent to be recorded in an officer decision notice, where such indemnity is not covered by insurance, and that any sums in excess of that figure must be referred to Council for approval.”