Issue - meetings

Report of the Standards Committee

The Chair of the Standards Committee, Simon Lainé, introduced the Annual Report on behalf of the Standards Committee.  He explained that this year the report not only provided a summary of the Committee’s activities in the last year but consisted mostly of a commentary of the part of the Localism Act 2011 that concerned Standards. 

The work of the Standards Committee had depleted during the last year in light of its imminent demise and therefore the number of meetings had reduced accordingly.  There were very few complaints regarding possible breaches of the Code and therefore very few cases for consideration.  Those that did arise did not involve major transgressions, none of the subjects of the complaints were found to be in breach and unlike in previous years, investigations were completed in a relatively short time. 

The Committee had last met in February for a workshop to discuss the Localism Act and its implications and the report summarised those discussions. 

Members felt that the Standards Committee must retain its power to apply sanctions if the decision is that there has been a breach of the Code otherwise it would be powerless and it could be argued, pointless. 

A Member welcomed the abolition of the old regime which he felt placed far too much emphasis on what Councillors said and not what they did, was open to malice and silliness and triggered too many complaints, creating an entire industry.  He considered the Localism Act and proposals to be broadly sensible, with a focus on wrong doing which, in his mind, would cease what had become an entirely bureaucratic process.

In response to a Member question, the Monitoring Officer confirmed that the legislation stated that the principal authority (CBC) must investigate allegations on behalf of the Parish Councils but the Act did not actually preclude this happening at a local level.

The Mayor thanked the Chair for his attendance and all Committee Members on behalf of the Council for their hard work.