Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence from Members.

There were no apologies for absence.

Councillors are required to comply with the requirements of the Localism Act 2011 regarding disclosable pecuniary interests. Declarations received will be reported at the meeting.

There were no declarations of interest.

The Committee is asked to note its terms of reference, circulated at 3.

The Independent Person introduced himself to the Committee and explained his role as an observer of the process and that he did not have any voting rights on the Committee.

The Committee noted as its terms of reference Article 10 of the Constitution of the Shadow Authority. The Article was circulated with the agenda together with the Code of Conduct included in Part 5 of the Constitution.

To consider the following resolution in order for the Standards Committee to consider the non-public item on the agenda.

“That under Section 100(A) (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 1 and 2 in Part 1 of Schedule 12 A of the Act and that the public interest in withholding the information outweighs such interest in disclosing the information.”

It was proposed and seconded

DECISION MADE:

That under Section 100 (A) (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 1 and 2 in Part 1 of Schedule 12 A of the Act and that the public interest in withholding the information outweighs such interest in disclosing the information.

See report circulated at 5.

The Interim Monitoring Officer explained the reason for the delay in bringing the complaint to the Committee which was the result of internal administrative issues rather than to any delay by the parties involved.

The Committee considered a complaint submitted by Councillor Mark Howell alleging breach by Councillor Janet Walton of the Shadow Authority Code of Conduct.

The Committee carefully considered the submitted complaint and the supporting emails provided. Specifically, the complainant alleged breaches of paragraphs 2.1(b) and 2.2(g) of the Shadow Authority Code of Conduct.

The Committee also received a written response to the complaint.

The Committee undertook assessment of all the facts presented to it but determined to reject the allegation.

The Committee considered that Councillor Walton provided satisfactory answers to the questions asked by Councillor Howell and was not disrespectful in the way that she responded to him. The Committee found that the subject matter of the complaint, the naming of BCP, was already in the public domain at the time when the questions were asked and it was therefore quite in order for Councillor Walton to respond as she did to media enquiries.

The Committee did not consider that Councillor Walton behaved in any way that brought the office of Leader into disrepute.

DECISION MADE:

That the Standards Committee reject the allegation.

Voting : Unanimous.