Agenda and minutes

Standards Committee - Thursday, 21st June, 2012 5.30 pm

Venue: Kaposvar Room - Guildhall, Bath. View directions

Contact: Ann Swabey 01225 394416

Items
No.	Item
30.	WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS Minutes: The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.
31.	EMERGENCY EVACUATION PROCEDURE The Chair will draw attention to the emergency evacuation procedure as set out on the Agenda. Minutes: The Clerk drew attention to the Emergency Evacuation Proecedure.
32.	APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND SUBSTITUTION Minutes: Apologies were received by Nick Stevens – Parish Representative.
33.	DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST To receive any declarations of interest from Members/Officers in respect of matters for consideration at this meeting. Minutes: There were none.
34.	TO ANNOUNCE ANY URGENT BUSINESS AGREED BY THE CHAIR View the background to item 34. The Chair will announce any items of urgent business accepted since the agenda was prepared under the Access to Information provisions. Minutes: There was none.
35.	ITEMS FROM THE PUBLIC - TO RECEIVE DEPUTATIONS, STATEMENTS, PETITIONS OR QUESTIONS Minutes: There were none.
36.	ITEMS FROM COUNCILLORS AND CO-OPTED AND ADDED MEMBERS RELATING TO THE GENERAL BUSINESS OF THE COMMITTEE Minutes: There was none.
37.	MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF 26TH APRIL 2012 PDF 35 KB View the background to item 37. To approve the minutes of the last meeting on 26^th April 2012. Minutes: The minutes of the meeting of 26^th April 2012 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.
38.	THE NEW STANDARDS REGIME PDF 15 KB The Monitoring officer will provide a verbal report to the meeting, please see briefing note on the new regime, and Appendices. Additional documents: ACSeS note Disclosable pecuniary interests Appendix 2 , item 38. PDF 18 KB DCLGCode of Conduct Appendix 3A , item 38. PDF 133 KB LGAConduct of Conduct Appendix 3B , item 38. PDF 15 KB ACSES Code of Conduct Appendix 3C , item 38. PDF 40 KB PLPdraft code of conduct Appendix 3D , item 38. PDF 208 KB Minutes: The Monitoring Officer introduced the report and explained that all Councils are required to adopt a new code of conduct governing elected and co-opted members conduct. He explained that Councils have discretion as to what they include and that there are some examples appended to the report. He asked the Committee to agree on some principles so that he could draft a new version of the Code to bring back to them at a later date. The Committee requested that the Monitoring Officer base the new draft code of conduct on the ACSes Draft Code (paper C, marked Appendix D to Report No. 111/2012) with some developments in line with the following: · The Committee generally preferred the longer rather than the shorter codes but not so long as to put people off of reading it; · The code should be clearly written and some paragraphs may need amending such as Paragraph 8 which they felt should just read ‘set aside your personal interest’ · Parts of the existing code could be used such as those relating to bullying and respect. It was agreed that the Monitoring Officer would circulate 1. A draft of a new code of conduct based on the ACSes Draft Code and that he be authorised to submit it to Council for approval and 2. A formalised complaints and hearing process and training proposals would be drawn up in due course.