Standards Committee – 11 November 2020
Chairman: Councillor Poole
Venue: Virtual Meeting Microsoft Teams
Time: 2.00 pm
E- Mail Address: dean.gillon@northlincs.gov.uk
AGENDA
1. Substitutions (if any)
2. Declarations of Disclosable Pecuniary Interests and Personal or Personal and Prejudicial Interests.
3. To take the minutes of the meeting of the Standards Committee held on 16 September 2020 as a correct record and authorise the chairman to sign.
4. Renewal of Dispensation – Steel Industry.
5. LGA Draft Model Code of Conduct – verbal update.
6. Complaints Schedule – Update.
7. 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, O’Sullivan, Robinson, Wells and Yeadon.
Co-opted member – Ms S Wroe
Mr T Forbes – Independent Persons
The committee met via MS Teams
308 DECLARATIONS OF DISCLOSABLE PECUNIARY, PERSONAL OR PERSONAL AND PREJUDICIAL INTERESTS – There were no declarations made at the meeting.
309 MINUTES – Resolved – That the minutes of the meeting of this committee held on 16 September 2020, having been printed and circulated amongst the members, be taken as read and correctly recorded and be signed by the chairman.
310 RENEWAL OF DISPENSATION – The Director: Governance and Partnerships submitted a report requesting that the Standards Committee consider renewing the dispensation granted to all elected members on 6 November 2015, subsequently renewed annually, concerning motions relating to British Steel (formerly TATA Steel).
The Monitoring Officer explained that the committee had granted a dispensation in November 2015 to enable all members of the council to participate in a motion concerning TATA Steel, now British Steel, at a meeting of full council. This dispensation was extended for a further 12 months by the committee in November 2016, and each subsequent November, to enable all members to discuss and debate issues relating to the steel industry. The terms of the dispensation were set out in the report. As the renewed dispensation was due to expire on 13 November 2020 the committee was asked to consider whether to grant a further dispensation, taking into account the continuing interest in British Steel and the likelihood that the council will continue to discuss relevant issues.
Resolved – That pursuant to section 33 (2) (c) of the Localism Act 2011, the dispensation granted by the committee on 6 November 2015, and subsequently renewed on 23 November 2016, 22 November 2017, 21 November 2018, and 13 November 2019 be renewed for a further twelve month period.
311 LOCAL GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION (LGA) DRAFT CODE OF CONDUCT UPDATE – The Director: Governance and Partnerships gave a short oral update on the LGA’s draft Code of Conduct and related issues.
The Director confirmed that work was still underway at the LGA and a further report will be submitted to the Committee for consideration in the new year.
Members discussed this progress and its possible consequences, before discussing the possibility of running training sessions for town and parish councils during the ongoing pandemic.
Resolved – (a) That the ongoing LGA work on the draft Code of Conduct be noted, and (b) that the Monitoring Officer consider and consult on options to provide alternative standards training to Town and Parish Councils across North Lincolnshire.
312 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 a Hearings Panel and an Assessment Panel were scheduled to meet later that day.
Resolved – That the report be noted.