Issue - meetings

This report provides the Standards Committee with the Conclusion of the investigation following a complaint made about a Councillor of Christchurch Town Council under reference TPC-022.  The investigator’s report is attached at Exempt Appendix 1.  The investigator concludes that there has not been a breach of the Code of Conduct.

The Committee is asked to consider this report of the Monitoring Officer and the Investigator’s report.

The Committee moved into exempt session to consider this item.

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

The report provided the Standards Committee with the conclusion of the investigation following a complaint made about a Councillor of Christchurch Town Council under reference TPC-022.  The investigator’s report was attached at Exempt Appendix 1.  The investigator concluded that there had not been a breach of the Code of Conduct.

The Committee was asked to consider the report of the Monitoring Officer and the Investigator’s report.

The Committee and Independent Persons discussed the report and were provided with responses to any requests for further information or clarification from the Investigating Officer.

In response to a query, the Committee was advised that the threshold for freedom of expression was set high, and the Interim Monitoring Officer suggested a possible short training session for the Committee on the subject could be beneficial.

The Committee discussed Town and Parish Councils in general and the potential outcome of the Community Governance Review, with the need to ensure any new Town or Parish Councils were supported from the start with appropriate training and policies and procedures.

The Committee returned to public session to provide its resolution.

RESOLVED that in relation to complaint TPC-022, the findings of the independent investigator that the subject Christchurch Town Councillor did not breach the Council’s Code of Conduct be accepted and no further action be taken.

Voting: Nem. Con.