Agenda and minutes

An apology was received from David Hughes. The Chair welcomed Wendy Lovell – Northamptonshire County Council Vice Chair of Standards Committee.

The minutes of the meeting held on the 14^th June 2010 were signed as a true record. Cllr Hollis requested an update on the Proportionality Upgrade from the Borough Solicitor at the next Standards meeting to be held on the 13^th December 2010.

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Report of the Borough Solicitor (Copy herewith)

A report submitted on behalf of the Borough Solicitor informed the Standards Committee of the new Government’s proposal to abolish the Standards Board Regime. The Communities and Local Government Association (LGA) released details of the announcement. It was noted that Standards for England had released a statement, which outlined their intention to continue to work and support local authorities under the existing regime while the statutory framework remained operative.

Cllr Hollis argued that the abolition of the Regime could lead to the criminalisation of some Members for low-level procedure, which could quite simply have been a genuine misunderstanding or mistake rather than a calculated attempt to gain by ill-gotten means.

The Chair reported that the Standards Board was not a ‘Police’ of the Council, but had led to an increase in the general conduct of Councillors and respect between Member and Officer working relationships. Cllr Flavell also argued that the existence of the Standards Board made other Councillors aware of consequences of disrespectful behaviour and bad conduct and without it, there would be a potential for such behaviour to continue as there would not be an awareness of how or where to report it to. It was further argued that the whilst the Local Government Ombudsman would investigate complaints made against Councillors, the more layers and distance complainants had to be involved in, would inevitably dissuade and deter the reporting of unprofessional behaviour and conduct.

Cllr Scott argued that the communication circulated by the Communities Minister and the Communities Secretary was aimed at personal gain level and that the majority of complaints that had been bought forward to the Committee were of matters of Councillor conduct and behaviour and that any illegal activity that had resulted in personal gain would always have been investigated by the police. She further explained that the message being sent out to Officers was negative and that the Standards Board Regime had acted in a preventative rather than as a prosecutor measure.

Cllr Matthews remarked that there was a general shift of the new Government to support the notion of decentralisation and localism. However, the abolition of the Standards Board Regime was the opposite of that and that ‘local part’ was being shifted away thus power being given to the Ombudsman, whom it was noted was not located locally.

The Chair congratulated the Borough Solicitor and his team for having in the past, dealt with complaints very quickly and efficiently.

In response to a question asked by Cllr Flavell, it was explained by the Borough Solicitor, that the proliferation of complaints made to the Standards Board had resulted in greater publicity, accessibility and transparency in the reporting of undesirable conduct of Council Members.

The Chair requested information with regards to support offered by political parties as to whether the political party leaders would support the notion of him writing to the Communities Minister (Andrew Stunnell) and the Communities Secretary (Eric Pickles) expressing concern at the proposed abolition.

Resolved that:

1.                       Members noted the new Government’s  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

Report of the Borough Solicitor (Copy herewith)

Report of Borough Solicitor (Copy herewith)

THE CHAIR TO MOVE:

“THAT THE PUBLIC AND PRESS BE EXCLUDED FROM THE REMAINDER OF THE MEETING ON THE GROUNDS THAT THERE IS LIKELY TO BE DISCLOSURE TO THEM OF SUCH CATEGORIES OF EXEMPT INFORMATION AS DEFINED BY SECTION 100(1) OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT 1972 AS LISTED AGAINST SUCH ITEMS OF BUSINESS BY REFERENCE TO THE APPROPRIATE PARAGRAPH OF SCHEDULE 12A TO SUCH ACT.”

The Chair moved that the Public and Press be excluded from the remainder of the meeting on the grounds that there was likely to be disclosure to them of such categories of exempt information as defined by Section 100(1) of the Local Government Act 1972 as listed against such items of business by reference to the appropriate paragraph of Schedule 12A to such Act.

The Motion was Carried.

Report of Borough Solicitor (Copy herewith)