Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Mr Craig McCallum and His Hon David MacLaren Webster QC.

To confirm and sign the minutes of the Committee meeting held on 25 January 2012(copy attached).

The Chairman took the opportunity to thank members of the committee for their valuable input on contract regulations which was submitted to the Head of Procurement.

The minutes of the meeting held on 25 January 2012 were presented.

Resolved:

To approve the minutes as a correct record.

There were no declarations of interest.

The Chairman detailed the content of the two forthcoming meetings.

·       18 April 2012, Monkton Park Council Chamber 2pm

To discuss the Overview and Scrutiny review outcomes, Standards Annual Report and the Scheme of Delegation.

·       2 May 2012, Monkton Park Council Chamber 2pm

To discuss proposals for the new Standards Regime and the transitional arrangements.

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 29 February 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 follow

The Monitoring Officer introduced the report, which updated the Committee on the developments since the previous meeting with input from the Constitution Focus Group and members of the Standards Task and Finish Group on the new Standards Framework.

After a lengthy discussion Members made changes to the recommendations contained within the report and to the wording of the draft Terms of Reference, Arrangements for dealing with Code of Conduct Complaints under the Localism Act 2011, and Job Description and Person Specification.  It was agreed that fine-tuning of the wording should be delegated to the Task and Finish Group with the revised version of each document being brought back to the Committee for final approval before onward recommendation to Council on 15 May.

Resolved

To recommend  Council as follows:


(1)  To establish a standards committee in accordance with the terms of reference at appendix 1, subject to further revision by the Standards Task and Finish Group to reflect the Committee’s wishes.

(2)  To adopt the arrangements for dealing with code of conduct complaints as set out in appendices 2 and 3, subject to further revision by the Standards Task and Finish Group to reflect the Committee’s wishes. 

(3)  To approve the job description and person specification for the independent person as set out in Appendix 4, subject to further revision by the Standards Task and Finish Group to reflect the Committee’s wishes.

(4) To authorise the Monitoring Officer, in consultation with the chairman of the new standards committee and/or the Chairman of the existing Standards Committee, to take the necessary steps to secure the appointment of 2 independent persons and one reserve by the Council.

(5)  To agree an appropriate rate of remuneration for the independent person, having regard to arrangements being made by other authorities and the advice of the Independent Remuneration Panel.

(6)  Pending the issue of the regulations on interests and the emergence of any national template code of conduct, to use the existing code of conduct as the basis for a new code of conduct, amended as necessary to meet the requirements of the new legislation. 

(7) To support parish, town and city councils in Wiltshire in preparing for the new standards framework and to consult them as far as possible on the proposed arrangements for Wiltshire Council.

To consider the Standards Committee Plan.

The Committee reviewed the Standards Committee Plan 2010 – 2014.  It was noted that there had been no change to the Standards Committee’s Goals, Output or Targets. All developments were annotated within the comments column.

The Monitoring Officer explained that the arrangements for dealing with existing complaints after implementation of the new standards framework on 1 July 2012 will be subject to transitional regulations, which are awaited.

Resolved

To note the Plan.

To consider the attached report

The Monitoring Officer presented the report.  The challenging workload was noted.  Members conveyed their thanks for the useful breakdown of the case data.

Resolved

To note the report.

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

Committee:

Dispensations Sub Committee – 19 January 2012

The minutes of the Dispensation Sub-Committee held on 19 January 2012 were presented.

Resolved:

To note the minutes.

The forward plan was presented.

Resolved

To approve the forward plan as amended.

Any other items of business, which in the opinion of the Chairman, should be taken as a matter of urgency.  Urgent items of a confidential nature may be considered under Part II of this agenda.

None

There were no urgent items.