Standards Committee Hearings Panel – 11 November 2020
Chairman: Councillor Poole
Venue: Virtual Meeting MS Teams
Time: 2:30 pm
Email Address: dean.gillon@northlincs.gov.uk
AGENDA
1. Declarations of Disclosable Pecuniary Interests and Personal and Personal and Prejudicial (if any).
Please note: The Panel may consider any applications submitted for the exclusion of the public under 3(i) below, and then may decide to exclude the public from the meeting for consideration of the following item on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in appropriate paragraphs of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).
2. To consider a proposed change of procedure.
3 To consider the findings of the Investigating Officer (brief introduction by the Monitoring Officer) into an allegation that a member of Goxhill Parish Council breached the council’s Code of Conduct.
Papers are EXEMPT:-
(i) Procedure at Hearing
(ii) Monitoring Officer’s Summary Report
(iii) Report of the Investigating Officer
(iv) Standards Arrangements (including the Code of Conduct).
MINUTES
PRESENT: – Councillor Poole (in the chair), O’Sullivan, and Robinson.
Mr T Forbes – Independent Person
The panel met via MS Teams
313 DECLARATIONS OF DISCLOSABLE PECUNIARY, PERSONAL OR PERSONAL AND PREJUDICIAL INTERESTS – There were no declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests, personal or personal and prejudicial interests.
314 EXCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC – Resolved – That the public be excluded from the meeting for consideration of the following item (minute 315 refers) on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).
315 COMPLAINT SC/19/21 – In accordance with the council’s published Standards Arrangements, the Panel considered a report by the Investigating Officer, Mrs C Emerson, in respect of the above complaint made by a member of the public against a member of Goxhill Parish Council.
The member of Goxhill Parish Council whom the complaint was made against attended the meeting, along with a witness, and both responded to members’ questions and were invited to comment in accordance with the agreed procedure used for these hearings.
Mr T Forbes (Independent Person) attended the hearing and gave his views on the report, the panel’s findings and proposed sanctions.
Following members’ deliberations during the appropriate stages of the agreed procedure, the Panel –
Resolved – (a) That the member of Goxhill Council whom the complaint was made against breached the interests provision of the Code of Conduct, and (b) that the following sanctions be recommended – (i) the panel write to the member over their conduct, (ii) that the panel recommend that the Parish Council arrange suitable training for members.