Meeting documents

Standards Committee
Monday, 2nd February, 2004 7.30 pm

Date:
Monday, 2nd February, 2004
Time:
7.30 p.m.
Place:
Front Committee Room at the Town Hall, Reigate
 

Attendance Details

Present:
Mr. J. Broadbent (Chairman) )) Independent Members
Mrs. J. Paul (Vice-Chairman)
Councillors S.A. Kulka, J.H. Prevett, E. Russell and Mrs. R.S. Turner
Mrs. J. Cook - Salfords and Sidlow Parish Council
Dr. A.P. Kent - Horley Town Council
Min NoDescriptionResolution
Part I
28 MINUTES
RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting held on 27th October, 2003 be approved as a correct record and signed.
29 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND SUBSTITUTIONS
None.
30 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
None.
31 THE COUNCIL'S COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE
RESOLVED that:
(i) subject to the revisions proposed above, the Complaints Procedure be approved for consultation purposes; and

(ii) subject to the outcome of the consultation exercise, the new Complaints Procedure be submitted to the Executive for recommendation to Council at the earliest opportunity.
32 ANTI FRAUD AND CORRUPTION STRATEGY
RESOLVED that:
(i) the revised Anti-fraud and Corruption strategy and policy (set out at Annex 1 to the submitted report) be approved; and

(ii) the Committee's comments on the Council's "whistle-blowing" policy (set out at Annex 2 to the submitted report) be confirmed as those detailed above.
33 MEMBER TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT
RESOLVED that:

(i) the principles proposed for the Member Development Programme and framework be approved and they be used as the basis for consultation; and

(ii) the outcome of the consultation exercise be considered by the Committee in April 2004 with a view to the Member Development Framework being submitted to the Executive and the Council in May/June 2004 for adoption.
34 COMPLAINTS TO THE STANDARDS BOARD FOR ENGLAND
RESOLVED that the two case summaries be noted.
35 FUTURE MEETINGS
RESOLVED that the next meeting of the Committee be held on Monday, 26th April, 2004 at 7.30 p.m.

36 ANY OTHER URGENT BUSINESS
None
The meeting closed at 8.30 pm.

Minute

Min NoMinute
31Under the Council's Constitution, the Committee was responsible for the "overview of procedures for complaints handling ….". In this respect, the Council's Head of Customer Services had recently reviewed the complaints procedure and was proposing a number of changes, leading to more effective and efficient complaints handling and customer services. A report was accordingly submitted setting out details of a proposed new complaints procedure.
The report set out background information, factors for consideration (including the main changes between the existing and proposed procedures) resource implications and reasons leading to the proposals. The current complaints leaflet and a new version had been circulated to Members of the Committee for consideration.
The matter was discussed during which reference was made to the availability of the new procedure on the Council's web site and the need to make the new leaflet accessible to disabled persons and available in languages other than English. In relation to the new leaflet it was proposed that (i) the heading "name" in the details of Heads of Service should be changed to "title"; (ii) it should be made clear that completion of the section in the complaints form "What do you think the Council should do to put things right" was optional; and (iii) details of the Help Shops should be included.
32In accordance with the Council's Constitution, a report was submitted to the Committee seeking approval to a revised Anti-fraud and Corruption strategy for the Authority. Comments were also sought on the Council's whistle-blowing policy. Copies of the strategy and policy were appended to the report.

The report set out background information, factors for consideration, timescales for implementation of the strategy and its future review and resource implications. The report concluded that the Council took fraud and corruption seriously and it was important to have regularly updated documentation in place. The strategy and policy before the Committee reflected good practice and guidance issued by such bodies as the Audit Commission.

The matter was discussed during which it was suggested that the whistle-blowing policy should be amended by (i) the deletion of "(manual and blue collar)" in the first paragraph; (ii) deletion of "are" in the second paragraph and substitution with "is"; and (iii) inclusion of a reference to the Council's Dignity at Work policy in the section on anonymity. During the discussion reference was made to certain probity issues relating to the planning process and the need for the Council's Chief Executive to sign a statement confirming the existence of certain internal controls.

33Further to the last meeting of the Committee, a report was submitted seeking approval to a proposed Member Development framework for consultation purposes.

The report set out background information, details of a proposed Member Development framework; a suggested approach on the introduction of personal development plans (for Members), consultation arrangements; timescales for adoption of the framework and introduction programme and resource implications.

The Committee noted that the CPA Peer Review had identified that the Council needed to improve its Member Development opportunities. The report suggested that a more robust Member Development Framework be established to provide Members with the opportunities to work in the new political structure.
Subject to the development of this project the Council would be in a good position to apply for the South East Employers' Member Development Charter which would not only demonstrate that Members were fully equipped to meet the continuous range of challenges they faced but would also demonstrate the Council's position with external accredited recognition.

The report and framework was discussed during which reference was made to the possibility of making certain training compulsory; the need for careful scheduling of events in relation to other Member commitments and need to specifically cater for "dual-hatted" Councillors. A suggestion was made that reference to this issue should be made in the framework document. Reference was also made to the possible participation in certain training of Parish Councillors and this point was noted.

34Since the last meeting of the Committee, the Standards Board for England (SBE) had published two case summaries on complaints against a Borough Councillor and a Borough and Parish Councillor. In each case, the Ethical Standards Officer had found that, in relation to the complaints, no action needed to be taken.

The Committee noted that the Standards Board had taken a long time to resolve the complaints and considered that this had put the Councillors concerned in a prolonged difficult position. It was noted that it was not possible to release SBE complaints data to the Committee until investigation by an Ethical Standards Officer had been completed and case summaries issued. In this respect, it was agreed that case summaries should be circulated to the Members of the Committee as soon as they were received by the Monitoring Officer, i.e. in advance of the next meeting of the Committee. As part of this item, there was general discussion on the way to investigate/handle local determinations, including the possible employment of consultants.

35