Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Mrs Jane Bayley, Mr Michael Cronin and Cllr Howard Marshall.

There were no declarations of interest.

The Chair sent the Committees best wishes for a speedy recovery to Cllr

Howard Marshall.

The Council welcomes contributions from members of the public.

Statements

If you would like to make a statement at this meeting on any item on this agenda, please register to do so at least 10 minutes prior to the meeting. Up to 3 speakers are permitted to speak for up to 3 minutes each on any agenda item. Please contact the officer named on the front of the agenda for any further clarification.

Questions

To receive any questions from members of the public or members of the Council received in accordance with the constitution. Those wishing to ask questions are required to give notice of any such questions in writing to the officer named on the front of the agenda no later than 5pm on 11 April 2012. Please contact the officer named on the front of this agenda for further advice. Questions may be asked without notice if the Chairman decides that the matter is urgent.

Details of any questions received will be circulated to Committee members prior to the meeting and made available at the meeting and on the Council’s website.

There were no members of the public present.

To consider the report of the Monitoring Officer

The Monitoring Officer introduced the report.

The Monitoring Officer explained that since the last meeting there had been amendments to the report and appendices which took into consideration the feedback from the constitution focus group, and this was a further opportunity for the committee to consider the proposed final version of the documents.

The Committee considered the report and appendices and it was agreed that further amendments be made as detailed below.

A debate over the code of conduct templates concluded that whilst the current templates gave a base to work from they did not completely meet the committee’s vision for Wiltshire Council’s code of conduct. It was agreed that a task finish group should meet to look at the code of conduct in light of the debate today and any views from the constitution focus group being held on 19 April 2012, and that a draft code of conduct should be brought to the next meeting being held on 2 May 2012.

Resolved:

1. To approve the final version of the documents set out in appendices 1-3 of the report and recommend these to the Council for approval on 15 May 2012 subject to amendments detailed below:

Arrangements for dealing with Code of Conduct Complaints under the Localism Act 2012:

·       To add a ‘deeming clause’ to determine when a request for review can be made

In Appendix A:

·       In the left hand box change 12.3 to 12.2

In the draft terms of reference:

·       Change wording of point 3 to remove the details of the initial terms for co-opted non-voting members and include these in a briefing paper

·       Include in Composition that the Chairman will be elected by the Committee and must be an elected member.

·       Amend points 8 and 9 to clarify that the same member cannot serve on both the Hearing Committee and the Review Committee

2. That the Task and Finish Group develop a draft code of conduct taking into account the views of the Standards Committee and the Constitution Focus Group, with the outcome informing a report by the Monitoring Officer to be brought to the next meeting of the Standards Committee 2 May 2012.

3. To note the steps being taken to update parish, town and city councillors on the new framework.

To consider the committee’s draft annual report

The Chairman introduced the draft Standards Committee Annual Report 2011/12.

Resolved:

1.     To rephrase the first paragraph in the Chairman’s foreword to remove the word ‘issues’

2.     To amend the photograph to reflect the current membership

3.     To confirm that the Committee did take on the responsibility of considering applications for exemption from the holders of politically restricted posts

4.     To add an extra column to the breakdown of complaints showing the number of cases proven

5.     To add a paragraph showing a comparison with another similar local authority such as Cornwall

There were no urgent items.