Standards Committee – 26 June 2019
Chairman: Councillor Poole
Venue: G01e Large Conference Room, Church Square House, 30-40 Church Square, Scunthorpe
Time: 2 pm
E- Mail Address: dean.gillon@northlincs.gov.uk
AGENDA
- Substitutions (if any)
- Declarations of Disclosable Pecuniary Interests and Personal or Personal and Prejudicial Interests.
- To take the minutes of the meeting of the Standards Committee held on 20 March 2019 as a correct record and authorise the chairman to sign.
- Standards Committee – Annual Report 2018/19.
- Independent Person Appointments – Update.
- Complaints Schedule – Update.
- Any other items which the Chairman decides are urgent by reason of special circumstances which must be specified.
Note: Reports are by the Director: Governance & Partnerships unless otherwise stated.
MINUTES
PRESENT: – Councillor Poole (in the Chair).
Councillors Bainbridge, Glover, Mumby-Croft, O’Sullivan, Wells and Yeadon.
Mr Harvie – Co-opted Member (Non-voting)
The committee met at Church Square House, Scunthorpe
270 DECLARATIONS OF DISCLOSABLE PECUNIARY, PERSONAL OR PERSONAL AND PREJUDICIAL INTERESTS – Cllr Wells declared a personal interest as a member of ERNLLCA.
271 MINUTES – Resolved – That the minutes of the meeting of this committee held on 20 March 2019, having been printed and circulated amongst the members, be taken as read and correctly recorded and be signed by the chairman.
272 STANDARDS COMMITTEE – ANNUAL REPORT 2018/19 – The Director: Governance & Partnerships submitted the above draft annual report of the Standards Committee under the council’s standards regime and the Localism Act 2011 covering the period 1 July 2018 – 30 June 2019.
The Monitoring Officer in the draft report referred to the number of complaints in 2018/19, and described which complaints were considered by an Assessment Panel, and which were determined by the Monitoring Officer.
In his report, the Monitoring Officer informed the committee that further to training provided in the previous year, additional training sessions for newly elected/co-opted members of parish and town councils and any newly appointed clerks had been carried out on 27 November and 4 December 2017. All sessions had been well attended and similar future training would be provided on an annual basis.
The annual report also stated that the Monitoring Officer continued to meet regularly with the Monitoring Officer of North East Lincolnshire Council, the East Riding and Northern Lincolnshire Local Council’s Association (ERNLLCA) and Mr R Johnson (Independent Persons) to review existing practice and keep abreast of national and regional developments.
The Council continued to be a member of the Standards Exchange a specialist website set up by ex-Standards for England investigators as a platform to share good practice and keep updated on national standards related developments.
Resolved – (a) That the 2018/19 Annual Report be approved and be circulated to town and parish councils in the North Lincolnshire area following its submission to council, (b) that the Monitoring Officer continue to provide both planned and ad hoc training to new members and clerks to town and parish councils, (c) that the former Independent Person, Mr J Goolden’s work and support for North Lincolnshire’s standards regime be acknowledged, (d) that Mr R Johnson, Independent Person, be thanked for his time, hard work and commitment in supporting and advising the committee, and (e) that the Monitoring Officer and his staff also be thanked for their hard work over the year.
273 INDEPENDENT PERSON APPOINTMENTS – UPDATE – Mr Harvie declared a personal and prejudicial interest at this point as an applicant for this position and left the room.
The Monitoring Officer provided an oral report, updating the Standards Committee on progress in advertising, interviewing and appointing one or more Independent Persons to replace Mr Goolden in this role.
The Chairman contributed to this discussion, stating that recruitment was progressing well, with a field of experienced and knowledgeable individuals putting themselves forward for consideration.
Resolved – (a) That the situation be noted, and (b) that the Standards Committee be kept informed of progress.
Mr Harvie then returned to the meeting.
274 COMPLAINTS SCHEDULE – The Director: Governance and Partnerships submitted a report updating the committee on progress made with complaints received.
The Director updated members on the complaints schedule, confirming that four complaints were outstanding and would be assessed in due course. Two complaints had been referred for investigation and would be taken forward following this work. The remainder of the schedule was up to date.
Resolved – That the report be noted.