Issue - meetings

To retrospectively report the dispensations granted by the Monitoring Officer for the time period 1 September 2025 to 6 March 2026.

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

The purpose of the report was to request the Standards Committee retrospectively report the dispensations granted by the Monitoring Officer for the time period 1 September 2025 to 6 March 2026.

There was no Committee discussion on this item.

RESOLVED that the Standards Committee note the dispensations granted by the Monitoring Officer for the time period 1 September 2025 to 6 March 2026.

Voting: Nem. Con.

An Independent Person read out a joint statement on behalf of both Independent Persons regarding recent adverse national and local press comments about the operation of the Standards Committee.

It was stated that the Committee, comprising Councillors from across the Council, worked in a wholly apolitical manner, with political views left outside the meeting room.

It was further noted that any sanctions available to the Committee following a recognised conduct breach had been restricted by parliamentary legislation.

Finally, it was confirmed that, at the conclusion of each debate, the Chair had consistently invited the Independent Persons to comment on the validity of the process before any decision had been reached by the Councillors present.