MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE STANDARDS COMMITTEE HELD AT COUNTY HALL, NEWPORT, ISLE OF WIGHT ON TUESDAY 29 MAY 2001 COMMENCING AT 3:00 PM

Present :

Mr B Claxton, Mrs J Harding, Mr R Phillips and Mr W Linnington

In the absence of the Chairman it was

RESOLVED :

THAT Mr Claxton be elected Chairman for the day.

14. MINUTES

RESOLVED :

THAT the Minutes of the meeting held on 17 April 2001 be confirmed and signed by the Chairman.

15. COMPLAINT BY MR HANCOCK AGAINST MRS HEWITT CC

The Committee received the complaint by Mr Hancock against Mrs Hewitt CC in connection with her conduct with regard to letters she sent to Mr Hancock and others in 2000.

The following documents were submitted to, and considered by, the Committee:

Document

SC12/1-10 Complaint and attachments from Mr Hancock

SC/11-15 Response and attachments from Mrs Hewitt CC

During the course of the hearing a letter from Hampshire Constabulary to Mr Hancock was also submitted.

No witnesses were called by either Mr Hancock or Mrs Hewitt CC.

Mr Hancock and Mrs Hewitt CC were given a final opportunity to present their case.

After an adjournment it was

RESOLVED :

(i) THAT the Committee finds as a fact that Mrs Hewitt CC has breached clause 32 of the National Code of Conduct in that she used Council headed paper in her capacity as a trustee of a charity in the mistaken belief that she was fulfilling her duty as a Councillor. The Committee further finds that as a consequence she allowed a fellow trustee, who is not a councillor, to sign Council headed paper.

(ii) The Committee believe that these actions were carried out in good faith and recommends that Mrs Hewitt does apologise to Mr Hancock for wrongfully using Council headed paper for charity business.

CHAIRMAN