Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillor Ernie Clark, Mr Michael Cronin, Mr Philip Gill MBE JP, Councillor Ian McLennan, and Miss Pam Turner

To confirm and sign the minutes of the Committee meeting held on 12 January 2011 (copy attached).

The minutes of the meeting held on 12 January 2011 were presented.

Resolved:

To approve as a correct record and sign the minutes.

The Chairman announced that this would be her last meeting as her term of office was due to expire at full Council in May.   Mr Gerry Robson MBE proposed that Mrs McCord’s term of office be extended until the end of the present Standards regime.  On being put to the vote it was

Resolved:

That the Standards Committee recommends to Council that Mrs Isabel McCord’s term of office be extended until the end of the present Standards regime.

There were no declarations of interest

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 (acting on behalf of the Director of Resources) no later than 5pm on Wednesday2 March 2011. 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.

The Committee is asked to receive and note the minutes of the following Sub-Committee:

Dispensations Sub Committee – 11 January 2011

The minutes of the Dispensation Sub-Committee held on 11 January 2011were presented.

Resolved:

To note the minutes

To consider the report of the Monitoring Officer

The committee reviewed the business plan and the Chairman thanked everyone involved in taking the actions forward.   It was suggested that it may be appropriate for the Committee to review their work in the light of the publication of Wiltshire Council’s Business Plan to ensure that the Committee’s objectives are consistent with the Plan.

It was agreed that the Chairman, assisted by Mr Gerry Robson and Councillor Nigel Carter, look at the Business Plan to find ways to link it to the Standards Committee Plan and feed back their findings to the Monitoring Officer.

Resolved:

1.    That the Monitoring Officer prepares a report for the next meeting of the Standards Committee on ways to link the Committee Plan to Wiltshire Council’s Business Plan.

2.    That the developments in the Plan be noted.

To consider the committee’s draft annual report

The draft Standards Committee Annual Report was presented

The Chairman explained that this report would be presented to the Annual Council meeting in May.

The committee made several amendments to the Plan including the request for the addition of the cases breakdown.

Resolved:

To note the report and request that any amendments be incorporated.

To consider the report of the Head of Governance

The Monitoring Officer presented the report

Resolved

To note the report

To consider the report of the Monitoring Officer

The committee considered a report on the outcome of a Consideration sub-committee.

Resolved:

To note the report

The committee’s forward workplan was presented.

Resolved

To note the forward workplan.

There were no urgent items