MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE STANDARDS COMMITTEE HELD AT COUNTY HALL, NEWPORT, ISLE OF WIGHT ON MONDAY, 29 JANUARY 2007 COMMENCING AT 6.00 PM

 

Present :

 

Mr B Claxton (Chairman), Mr M J Cunningham, Mr R Day, Mr K Fagan, Mrs J Harding, Miss H L Humby, Mr G Hibberd, Mr R Mew, Mrs M J Miller, Mrs E Oulton, Mr D Russell, Mr M Southwell, Mr D L Watson

 

Apologies :   

 

Mrs S Dalby

 

 

 


15.             MINUTES

 

RESOLVED :

 

THAT the Minutes of the meeting held on 27 November 2006 be approved.

 

17.             REPORTS OF THE INTERIM DIRECTOR OF LEGAL AND DEMOCRATIC SERVICES

 

(a)               Annual Report

 

Members considered the draft Annual Report of the Standards Committee. 

 

RESOLVED :

 

THAT the Standards Committee Annual Report be adopted subject to the correction of several grammatical errors and last paragraph in item 7 being amended when the Committee had considered how to respond to the consultation paper later in the meeting.

 

(b)               Ethical Audit by I&DeA

 

The Committee was advised that a team of 4 people would be coming to the Island to undertake an ethical audit as part of the Council’s response to the recent Comprehensive Performance Assessment.  The team would be on the Island on 21 and 22 February 2007.

 

Members of the Standards Committee were due to be interviewed by the I&DeA team on 22 February 2007 between 10.30 am and 12 noon.  Feedback would be brought back to the Committee’s March 2007 meeting.

 

RESOLVED :

 

THAT the report be noted.

(c)               Consultation on the New Code of Conduct

 

(During the debate Cllr Mike Cunningham declared a personal and prejudicial interest as the Chairman of the Licensing Sub Committee and left the room during the discussion on the point affecting that Sub Committee)

 

A report on the Consultation on the New Code of Conduct and Proposed Legislative Changes around the Standards Committee was circulated to members.  A short break was taken to enable members to read the report.

 

The Chairman indicated that the consultation on Amendments to the Model Code of Conduct for Local Authority Members had been received from the Department for Communities and Local Government.

 

The Monitoring Officer told members that there were eight questions in the document that needed answers.  The closing date for consultation was 9 March 2007 which pre dated the next meeting of the Committee, she outlined the three options available to members.  The Committee agreed that as the consultation was broadly in line with the Committee’s previous views on this matter that they would consider the 8 questions at this meeting with their views as set out below:

 

Question Number

Committee Response

 

 

General comment:    The Committee was in favour of a unified code.

 

 

1.

Yes correct balance is struck – although guidance from the Standards Board would be critical.

 

 

2.

Support, however believe perhaps there may still be occasions when office brought into disrepute even though the rule has not necessarily been broken.

 

 

3.

Noted, but if there is a national code on publicity it should be enforced under the code of conduct.

 

 

4.

No, having a separate register for gifts and hospitality does show transparency. The need for members to declare at meetings such receipts as a personal interest for 5 years from date of hospitality is unworkable.

 

 

5.

Welcome provided not too narrowly drawn up leaving scope for local determination.

 

 

6.

Fine.

 

 

7.

Welcome proposals and don’t want to seek any further amendment.

 

 

8.

Stick to current classical legal definitions.

 

RESOLVED :

 

THAT the final detailed response be delegated to the Interim Director of Legal and Democratic Services  in consultation with the Chairman of the Standards Committee.

 

(d)               Isle of Wight Standards Committee input into ACSeS Model Induction Pack

 

Kirsty Cole an ex chair of ACSeS was asking around the country for Standards Committee’s who would be willing to participate in a model induction pack for new members of Standards Committee’s.  Members were asked if they would like to be involved.

 

RESOLVED :

 

THAT the Standards Committee participate in the ACSeS Model Induction Pack for new members.

 

18.             WORKPLAN

 

RESOLVED :

 

THAT the workplan be noted.

           

 

 

CHAIRMAN