Issue - meetings

Standards Committee is asked to note the Guidance to Councillors and Officers who are appointed to Outside Bodies. This Guidance is being considered by Cabinet on 2 October 2024, and subject to their recommendations will be presented to Council on 15 October 2024, for inclusion in the Council’s Constitution.

The Monitoring Officer presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'C' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

The Guidance to Councillors and Officers who are appointed to Outside Bodies attached at Appendix 1 had been considered by Cabinet on 2 October 2024 as part of a wider report. The guidance was intended as a supporting document to fill any gaps in the Council’s Constitution around ethical governance in relation to such appointments and was recommended to Council on 15 October 2024 for inclusion in Part 6 the Constitution. Due to the content of some of the guidance the Monitoring Officer had requested that the document be submitted to the Standards Committee for information.

The Committee welcomed the clarity which the guidance and associated training would provide to councillors appointed to outside bodies. Members supported the proactive approach in identifying and addressing areas where this type of guidance was missing. In response to a question, the Monitoring Officer explained that the guidance should enable councillors and officers to make an informed choice when considering whether to accept appointments. The guidance would be uploaded to the Councillors portal for ease of reference and kept updated. The Committee may also wish to refer to the guidance when reviewing the mandatory training programme for councillors, a future item on the forward plan.

RESOLVED that the report and the proposed Guidance at Appendix 1 to be considered by Council on 15 October 2024, for inclusion in the Council’s Constitution as recommended by Cabinet on 2 October 2024, be noted.

Voting: Unanimous