Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies or substitutions for the meeting.

There were no apologies.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 26 August 2021.

The minutes of the meeting held on 26 August 2021 were presented for consideration, and it was,

Resolved:

To approve and sign the minutes as a true and correct record.

To receive any declarations of disclosable interests, or dispensations granted by the Standards Committee.

Councillor Gordon King declared that he was aware of the Subject Member for Complaint COC134813 as a councillor in West Wiltshire, but that this was not a close acquaintance and he would debate and vote on the complaint with an open mind.

To note the procedure and assessment criteria for the meeting.

The meeting procedure was noted.

To consider passing the following resolution:

To agree that in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 to exclude the public from the meeting for the business specified in Agenda Item Numbers 6 onwards, because it is likely that if members of the public were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 1 of Part I of Schedule 12A to the Act and the public interest in withholding the information outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information to the public.

Paragraph 1 - information relating to an individual

In considering complaint COC134813 the Sub-Committee were satisfied that the initial tests of the assessment criteria had been met, including that the member was and remains a member of the relevant Council, and that a copy of the relevant Code of Conduct was provided for the assessment.

The Sub-Committee therefore had to decide whether the alleged behaviour would, if proven, amount to a breach of that Code of Conduct. Further, if it was felt it would be a breach, whether it was still appropriate under the assessment criteria to refer the matter for investigation.

In reaching its decision, the Sub-Committee took into account the original Complaint, supporting information, and the report of the Monitoring Officer, and statements from the meeting held on 26 August 2021 when the item was deferred. The Sub-Committee also considered written statements from the Subject Member and Complainant. Neither party was in attendance.

After discussion, it was,

Resolved:

In accordance with the approved arrangements for resolving standards complaints adopted by Council on 9 July 2019, which came into effect on 1 January 2020 and after hearing from the Independent Person, the Assessment Sub-Committee determined to refer the complaint for investigation.