Meeting documents

Standards Committee
Wednesday, 24th June, 2009 7.30 pm

Date:
Wednesday, 24th June, 2009
Time:
7.30 pm
Place:
New Council Chamber, Town Hall, Reigate
 

Attendance Details

Present:
Councillors Mrs. J.S. Bray, Mrs. F.D.M. Dixon, S.A. Kulka, R.C. Newstead and Mrs. R.S. Turner.

Mrs. J.A. Cook - Salfords and Sidlow Parish Council
Mr. R. Bethell - Horley Town Council

Mr. P. Allen - Independent Member
Dr. C. Vaughan - Independent Member
Also Present:
Councillor M.J. Selby.
Min NoDescriptionResolution
Part I
1 CONSENT FOR THE MAYOR TO TAKE THE CHAIR
 The Mayor (Councillor R.S. Mantle) was unable to attend the meeting and had submitted apologies for absence.
2 ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN
 RESOLVED that Mr. J. Broadbent (Independent Member) be elected Chairman of the Committee for the Municipal Year 2009/10.
3 ELECTION OF VICE-CHAIRMAN
 RESOLVED that Mr. P. Allen (Independent Member) be elected Vice-Chairman of the Committee for the Municipal Year 2009/10.

(Mr. P. Allen -Vice-Chairman - in the Chair)
4 MINUTES
Minute for Minute Number 4
RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meetings held on 3rd and 10th November 2008 be approved as a correct record and signed.
5 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND SUBSTITUTIONS
 The Mayor (Councillor R.S. Mantle)
Mr. J. Broadbent (Independent Member)
Ms. F. Stimson (Horley Town Council)

No substitute Members
6 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
 None.
7 STANDARDS BOARD FOR ENGLAND: ANNUAL SURVEY ON STANDARDS ISSUES
Minute for Minute Number 7
RESOLVED that the report be noted.
8 INDEPENDENT MEMBER - RECRUITMENT UPDATE
Minute for Minute Number 8
RESOLVED that the approach outlined above be endorsed.
9 NEW MEMBER COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE LEAFLET
Minute for Minute Number 9
RESOLVED that the leaflet be approved subject to incorporation of a section to provide an email address, an area to sign as appropriate and an indication that any completed and submitted form would be acknowledged within five working days.
10 OVERVIEW OF THE CONSTITUTION
Minute for Minute Number 10
RESOLVED that the report be noted.
11 WORK PROGRAMME 2009/10
Minute for Minute Number 11
RESOLVED that the work programme be received and updated in accordance with the foregoing.
12 ANY OTHER URGENT BUSINESS
 None.
The meeting closed at 8.21 p.m.

Minute

Min NoMinute
4In relation to Minute 22 (Codes of Conduct for Local Authority Members and Employees: Consultation) it was noted that the Council had submitted comments and details of the new Code(s) of Conduct were currently awaited. Once details were available a report would be brought to the Committee.
7The Committee received the Annual Survey on Standards issues that had been submitted to the Standards Board for England by the Head of Legal and Property Services (and Monitoring Officer) on behalf of the Council.

The annual survey was discussed during which reference was made to new corporate governance/audit report requirements and inclusion of a section on standards issues, the possibility of the Chairman of the Committee meeting with certain Members and the Chief Executive, proposed practice on notifying Members of complaints (especially those not upheld at assessment stage), registration of interests on the Council's web site (this was not currently planned) and the still awaited code of conduct for local government employees. In relation to the corporate governance arrangements and standards issues an update for the Committee on the relevant section was requested in the Autumn.

It was anticipated that the annual survey would lead to best practice and, in this connection, reports would be made to the Committee, as appropriate.
8The Head of Legal and Property Services (and Monitoring Officer) reported that the Council was currently advertising in respect of the Independent Member vacancy on the Committee. The appointments process was discussed and, in relation to short listing of applicants and interviews, the Committee favoured a Sub-Committee approach involving the Chairman, Vice Chairman and/or the other Independent Member together with Members (as appropriate and available). This approach was endorsed on the basis of a recommended appointment being made to the Committee and then Council in October 2009. It was anticipated that the Sub-Committee meetings would be arranged for September 2009.
9The Committee received a draft leaflet entitled "How to make a complaint against a Councillor". The intention was to make the leaflet available in the Council's Help Shops and on the web site and Councillors' intranet site - the Emembers Room. Officers would be made aware of the leaflet and copies sent to the Town and Parish Councils.
10The Head of Legal and Property Services (and Monitoring Officer) gave a brief overview of the Council's constitution in relation to the roles, responsibilities and terms of reference of the Committee.
11The Committee received its proposed work programme for 2009/10. This was endorsed subject to the addition for the September 2009 meeting of a report on standards issues for inclusion in the annual corporate governance/audit report (see Minute 7 above) and a report to the November 2009 meeting on the Standards Board for England annual conference. In general, it was considered that the work programme should reflect the Committee's terms of reference; details of these would be circulated to the Independent and Parish/Town Council representatives on the Committee together with the Council's Schedule of Meetings for 2009/10.