Agenda and draft minutes

The Committee is requested to appoint a Chair of the Committee, for the remainder of the 2022/23 Municipal Year

RESOLVED
That Councillor Williams be appointed as Chair of the Standards Committee for the duration of the 2022/23 Municipal Year.

To receive any apologies for absence

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Diane Williamson, Parish Councillor Beeley, Parish Councillor Rowlinson and Bushra Tabassum (Independent Member).

To receive declarations of interests, recorded by members of the committee, in any contract or matter to be discussed at the meeting.

There were no declarations of interests.

To consider the Minutes of the meeting of the Standards Committee held 22^nd April 2021.

RESOLVED

That the Minutes of the meeting of the Standards Committee held 22^nd April 2021 be approved as a correct record.

Urgent business, if any, to be introduced by the Chair

There were no items of urgent business for this meeting of the Committee to consider.

To receive any questions from members of the public, in accordance with the Council’s Constitution.

There were no public questions for this meeting of the Committee to consider.

Director of Legal Services to report

The Director of Legal reported that the new code of conduct has been in place since September 2021, and it was appropriate for the Standards Committees to review the Code and make any recommendations thereon to Council. The Code was introduced arising from the Local Government Association (LGA) developing a model code of conduct after extensive consultation with the sector as part of its work in supporting local government and is a template for councils to use which could be amended locally. The code had been adopted by several local authorities.

The Code referred to dispensations and the standards committee was asked to note the general dispensations provided under delegations to participate and vote on setting the council tax or a precept under the Local Government Finance Act 1992 (as amended from time to time and any superseding legislation) and matters directly related to such decisions such as budget calculations and council tax reduction and discount schemes and allowances and indemnities given to members and readopt the dispensations as appropriate to do so under section 33 of the Localism Act

The Committee was requested to review the code and to consider whether any recommendations or amendments were required.

Resolved:

1.    That no amendments be recommended for consideration in the revised code of conduct, but this be reviewed by the committee in approximately 12 months; training should be provided for all elected members after the May 2023 election.

2.    The committee notes and confirms the general dispensations provided under delegations to participate and vote  on setting the council tax or a precept under the Local Government Finance Act 1992 ( as amended from time to time and any superseding legislation ) and matters directly related to such decisions such as budget calculations and council tax reduction and discount schemes and allowances and indemnities given to members and readopt the dispensations as appropriate to do so under section 33 of the Localism Act.