Agenda item - Standards Panel Training

Report of the Head of Law & Monitoring Officer (copy attached)

9.1The Committee considered the report of the Monitoring Officer, which was presented by a Senior Lawyer. The report informed the Committee about proposed training to enable members of the Committee to serve on Standards Panels, and to seek the Committee’s approval to establish a cross-party working group to review the Council’s Code of Conduct for Members.

9.2The Chair suggested that the working group comprise of one member from each political group plus the two independent persons.

9.3Councillor Simson asked what the legal position was of having a substitute member on the Committee and/or a Standards Panel. Officers advised that any Member could sit as a substitute on the Committee, but only substantive members of Audit & Standards Committee who had undergone the necessary training were permitted to sit on a Standards Panel. Any proposal to widen the pool of members qualified to sit on a Standards Panel, following suitable training, would require consideration and approval by Audit & Standards Committee at a future meeting.

9.4RESOLVED:

(1)  That the Committee noted the Standards Panel training scheduled for July 2014.

(2)  That the Committee grant delegated authority to the Monitoring Officer to establish a cross-party member working group to review the Council’s Code of Conduct for Members and to submit recommendations to a subsequent meeting of the Committee.