Agenda and minutes

Further to the re-establishment of this Committee by Council at its Extraordinary meeting on 31 May 2005, the Committee is asked to appoint a Chairman for the Municipal Year 2006/07.

Further to the report of the Director of Corporate Governance, it was

RESOLVED:  That the Right Reverend Peter Broadbent be appointed Chairman of the Standards Committee for the Municipal Year 2006/07.

To note the attendance at this meeting of any duly appointed Reserve Members.

Reserve Members may attend meetings:-

(i)                 to take the place of an ordinary Member for whom they are a reserve;

(ii)               where the ordinary Member will be absent for the whole of the meeting; and

(iii)             the meeting notes at the start of the meeting at the item ‘Reserves’ that the Reserve Member is or will be attending as a reserve;

(iv)              if a Reserve Member whose intention to attend has been noted arrives after the commencement of the meeting, then that Reserve Member can only act as a Member from the start of the next item of business on the agenda after his/her arrival.

RESOLVED:  To note the attendance at this meeting of the following duly appointed Reserve Members:-

To receive declarations of personal or prejudicial interests, arising from business to be transacted at this meeting, from:

(a)               all Members of the Committee, Sub Committee, Panel or Forum;

(b)               all other Members present in any part of the room or chamber.

RESOLVED:  To note that there were no declarations of interests made by Members in relation to the business transacted at this meeting.

To consider whether any of the items listed on the agenda should be considered with the press and public excluded on the grounds that it is thought likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, that there would be disclosure of confidential information in breach of an obligation of confidence or of exempt information as defined in the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985.

RESOLVED:  That (1) in accordance with the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985, the following agenda items be admitted late to the agenda by virtue of the special circumstances and grounds for urgency detailed below:-

 (2) all business be considered with the press and public present.

That the minutes of the meeting held on 27 March 2006, having been circulated, be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

RESOLVED:  That the minutes of the meeting held on 27 March 2006, having been circulated, be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

To receive questions (if any) from local residents or organisations under the provisions of Committee Procedure Rule 19 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

RESOLVED:  To note that no public questions were put, or petitions or deputations received at this meeting under the provisions of Committee Procedure Rules 19, 16 and 17 (Part 4B of the Constitution) respectively.

Further to the re-establishment of this Committee by Council at its Extraordinary meeting on 25 May 2005, the Committee is asked to appoint a Vice-Chairman for the Municipal Year 2006/07.

(Report at item 1 refers).

Further to the report of the Director of Corporate Governance, it was

RESOLVED:  That Councillor Joyce Nickolay be appointed Vice-Chairman of the Standards Committee for the Municipal Year 2006/07.

Report of the Director of Corporate Governance.

Further to the nominations submitted, and the revised nominations tabled, in respect of this Committee’s subsidiary body memberships and to the office of Chairman as appropriate, it was

RESOLVED:  That the Panels of the Standards Committee be established for the Municipal Year 2006/07 with the Chairman and memberships as detailed in the appendix to these minutes.

Report of the Director of Corporate Governance.

The Committee received a report of the Director of Corporate Governance, which informed Members of the Government’s proposals to reassess the Code of Conduct.

Members requested that the Committee be included in the consultation process and that the draft proposals be bought to a future meeting for comments.

RESOLVED:  That the report be noted.

Report of the Director of Corporate Governance.

The Committee received a report of the Director of Corporate Governance, which advised Members of the various procedures that had been adopted by the Authority for enforcement of breaches of the Code of Conduct for Members.

The officer summarised the stages of enforcement and directed Members to the Standards Board Bulletin for information regarding referrals and statistics on reported allegations of breaches. 

In response to Members’ concerns in relation to the whistle blowing policy and the protection for the whistle blowers identity, the Committee were advised that the whistle blower would be fully briefed of all the stages of any breach prior to the divulgence of information.

Some Members expressed concern in relation to the confidentiality aspect of the notification process of complaints to the Standards Committee Members. Under current practice, the Monitoring Officer (MO) referred the complaint, together with a covering report from either the Ethical Standards Officer (ESO) or Local Investigating Officer (LIO) to Standards Committee Members.  At this stage the papers were provided on a confidential basis and an undertaking was sought by those who were party to those papers.  Officers were asked to review this clause and report back to a future meeting.

RESOLVED:  That the report be noted.

Report of the Director of Corporate Governance.

The Director of Corporate Governance presented a report to the Committee on the Officer Code of Conduct.

Members noted the contents of the Employees’ Code of Conduct and the location of the register for employees to declare gifts and hospitality.  The officer confirmed that the Code was part of an employee’s contract and that severe breaches could lead to disciplinary action.

RESOLVED:  That the report be noted.

Report of the Director of Corporate Governance.

The Director of Corporate Governance presented a report, which sought the Committee’s approval to circulate the Members/Officer Protocol to all Members of Council.

RESOLVED:  That the Member/Officer Code of Conduct be circulated to all Members seeking comments on whether they found it useful, what it needed to cover, what else it might usefully cover and whether there were areas of concern where fuller guidance would be helpful.

Report of the Director of Corporate Governance.

The Committee received a report of the Director of Corporate Governance which sought Members approval for any training requirements.

RESOLVED:  That (1) the outcome of the mandatory training held on 12 June 2006 be noted;

(2) another mandatory training session be arranged and a record of non-attendees be reported to a future meeting;

(3)  specific training be given to the Hearing Panel prior to any meeting;

(4)  Sheila Darr and Councillor Joyce Nickolay be nominated to attend the Standards Board Annual Conference in October 2006, and, if unable to attend another Independent Member and Councillor be nominated;

(5)  no further training  be arranged until further notice;

(6)  officers be requested to provide Members with details of any networking events for Standards Committee Members at Brent Council.

Report of the Director of Corporate Governance.

The Director of Corporate Governance presented a report which timetabled reports for future meetings.

RESOLVED:  That (1) the following items be added to the work programme:-

i.                     Members’ Rights to Confidential Information;

ii.                   Member Development Strategy;

iii.                  IDEA Chartermark on Training.

(2)  the report be noted.

To note the dates of the Standards Committee meetings for the Municipal Year 2006/2007 as follows;

19 September 2006 at 7.30 pm

5 December 2006 at 7.30 pm

26 March 2007 at 7.30 pm

FOR CONFIRMATION

RESOLVED:  That the Standards Committee meeting dates scheduled in the Calendar of Meetings for the Municipal Year 2006/07 be noted and agreed.