Agenda

To receive any apologies for absence from Members.

To receive information on any changes in the membership of the Committee.

Note – When a member of a Committee is unable to attend a meeting of a Committee or Sub-Committee, the relevant Political Group Leader (or their nominated representative) may, by notice to the Monitoring Officer (or their nominated representative) prior to the meeting, appoint a substitute member from within the same Political Group. The contact details on the front of this agenda should be used for notifications.

Councillors are requested to declare any interests on items included in this agenda. Please refer to the workflow on the preceding page for guidance.

Declarations received will be reported at the meeting.

To confirm and sign as a correct record the minutes of the Meeting held on 6 October 2020.

To receive any public questions, statements or petitions submitted in accordance with the Constitution, which is available to view at the following link:-

https://democracy.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/ieListMeetings.aspx?CommitteeID=151&Info=1&bcr=1

The deadline for the submission of public questions is 4 clear working days before the meeting.

The deadline for the submission of a public statement is midday the working day before the meeting.

The deadline for the submission of a petition is 10 working days before the meeting.

This report provides details of the Register of Gifts & Hospitality for councillors for the year 2019/20.

The Standards Committee has responsibility for considering an annual report on the register and to make any comments and/or recommendations concerning the register as it considers appropriate.

This report provides Members with an update on complaints regarding alleged breaches of the Code of Conduct against councillors received or concluded since the last meeting in October 2020.

The Committee is responsible for maintaining high standards of conduct by Members of BCP Council and the Town and Parish Councils, monitoring the operation of the Code of Conduct, and considering the outcome of commissioned independent investigations.

This report provides the Standards Committee with the conclusions of the investigation following complaints made about Councillor Peter Hall. The investigator’s report is attached at Appendix 1. The conclusion of the investigator is that there was no evidence to support the allegations and that Councillor Hall was not acting in his capacity as a councillor.

The Committee is asked to consider the investigator’s report and accept the recommendations.

The Local Government Association has produced a New Model Member Code of Conduct which is appended to this report at Appendix 1.

The Standards Committee is responsible for monitoring the Code of Conduct and for making recommendations to Full Council on any changes to the Code.

The Committee is asked to note the new Code at this stage but to invite interested parties and other stakeholders to provide comment on the Council’s existing Code and the LGA Model Code, in accordance with the best practice recommendations of the Committee for Standards in Public Life.