PURPOSE

1. To inform the Committee of the latest position with regard to a number of initiatives affecting Parish and Town Councillors.

BACKGROUND

Training

2. The Committee has a responsibility to ensure training is provided to all Parish and Town Councillors on the Island on Ethics and Probity. More explicitly this will be focussed on the Code of Conduct and declarations of interests.

3. The Term of Office of the current Parish and Town Councillors commenced in June 2005 for a 4 year term. Many of these will be returning Councillors.

4. Due for various resource issues we have been unable to provide any specific training for Parish and Town Councillors since June. However we have commenced a programme of training on 16 May by providing sessions on The Code of Conduct and Declarations of Interest as part of a 2 day training session for all Parish and Town Councillors on the Island.

5. I will provide for the Standards Committee at the meeting details of the number of attendees at this event.

6. This session will be followed up by more localised events across the Island.

7. Generally the Isle of Wight Council is now providing funds to assist with the training of Parish and Town Councillors and Clerks with a view to those Parish and Town Councils becoming “Quality Parishes”.

Advice

8. Parish and Town Councillors and Clerks are now clear that they can obtain “Monitoring Officer Advice” through one of the “Deputy Monitoring Offices” – Chris Mathews. A number of bits of advice and help has been sort and provided. Additionally through Chris Mathews I have considerably “refreshed” the relationship with the Parish and Town Community by attendances at all meetings

of the Association of Parish and Town Council and the Society of Clerks Branch meeting (the two umbrella organisations).

9. As a consequence of attendance at these meetings it became apparent that both organisations would be looking to replace their secretary’s this year. This combined with the Council’s desire to improve its own relations with Parish and Town Councils has lead to the development of a “Tripartite” agreement whereby the Isle of Wight Council provides the Secretaryship for these two organisation from the Parish and Community Development Team. Thus providing a “one desk” service on all maters relating to Parish and Town Councils. This post will be one of the responsibilities of Chris Mathews hence improving the ethical advice link.

An Ethical Hotspot?

10. I mentioned in my report to the Committee in October 2005 that one Town Council on the Island appears to be suffering an exceptionally high level of conflict. I am pleased to say that we provided a lot of help and assistance for this Council enabling it to “move on” from its previously reported position.

Parish Protocol with the Isle of Wight Council

11. I mentioned, again in my October report, that this Protocol needed to be refreshed. Detailed work will commence on this during the summer and reported back to this Committee in due course.

FINANCIAL/BUDGET IMPLICATIONS

12. The costs of any additional activity to support, challenge and encourage improvements in standards of conduct and administration in Town and Paris Councils will be met from existing budgets – particularly those available to the Monitoring Officer.

RECOMMENDATIONS

13. That this report be noted.

John Metcalf

Acting Assistant Chief Executive and Monitoring Officer

Contact Point : Chris Mathews,

Telephone: 823280

Email: [email protected]