Agenda and minutes
Venue: Municipal Offices, Promenade, Cheltenham, GL50 9SA
Contact: Rosalind Reeves, Democratic Services Manager
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Apologies Minutes: Apologies were received from Paul Ryder, Gloria Coleman and Rowena Hay.
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Declarations of Interest PDF 34 KB Minutes: None declared. |
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To approve the minutes of the meeting held on the 10 December 2010. Minutes: The minutes of the last meeting had been circulated with the agenda.
Upon a vote it was unanimously
RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on the 10 December 2010 be agreed and signed as an accurate record. |
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Update on the latest communications from Standards for England Minutes: The Chairman had reviewed the Standards for England website earlier in the day and there had been no communications.
He noted that the Localism Bill Committee had yesterday (10 March 2011) finished its consideration of the Bill.
Members made no further comment. |
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Standards Committee Annual Report to Council PDF 86 KB To review and finalise the draft report of the Chair of Standards Committee Minutes: The Chairman, Simon Lainè, introduced the report as circulated with the agenda. He had discussed his original draft with the Borough Solicitor and the Democratic Services Manager and as a result it had been slightly amended.
The report would go to Council on the 28 March 2011, where he would provide a brief verbal introduction. Members were invited to comment.
In response to a question from a member of the committee, the Chairman confirmed that the Appendix (Localism Bill – a brief summary of Chapter 5: Standards) would be circulated to all members for Council. |
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Review of the Code of Conduct for Employees PDF 47 KB Report of the Human Resources Operations Manager Additional documents: Minutes: The Human Resources Manager introduced herself and the report as circulated with the agenda, which was taken as read.
She noted the request of Trade Union colleagues that the word ‘Officer’ be replaced with ‘Employee’ and this would be changed accordingly.
The following responses were given by the Human Resources Manager (with input from the Solicitor where necessary) to questions from members of the Committee;
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Review of progress against work plan PDF 18 KB A review of future plans Minutes: The Chairman referred members to the work plan as circulated with the agenda. The first item, the Code of Conduct for Employees had been discussed earlier on the agenda.
The Annual Report of the Standards Committee had also been discussed earlier in the meeting and included reference to the conduct regime under the Localism Bill. More information would follow within the timescales stated on the work plan.
Independent Member, John Leamon, queried why ‘advice on attendance at other meetings of Council and Parish Councils’ had been removed from the work plan. The Chairman noted he had recently met with the Borough Solicitor who had apologised for the delay.
Independent Member John Cripps interjected. He did not feel that the topic should feature on the work plan. There had been consensus from all members that they would not attend Parish Council meetings and he did not see that this should affect attendance at meetings of the Borough Council.
Independent Member Duncan Chittenden did not feel it relevant given the current uncertainty surrounding the Standards Committee. |
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Local Government Act 1972 - Exempt information The Committee is recommended to approve the following resolution:
“That in accordance with Section 100A(4) Local Government Act 1972 the public be
excluded from the meeting for the remaining items of business as it
is likely that, in view of the nature of the business to be
transacted or the nature of the proceedings, if members of the
public are present there will be disclosed to them exempt
information as defined in paragraphs 7C, Part 1, Schedule 12A (as
amended) Local Government Act 1972, namely: Paragraph 7C Information presented to a Standards Committee, or to a sub-committee of a Standards Committee, set up to consider any matter under regulations 13 or 16 to 20 of the Standards Committee (England) Regulations 2008, or referred under section 58(1)(c) of the Local Government Act 2000
Minutes: The Committee was recommended to approve the resolution as set out on the agenda.
Upon a vote it was unanimously
RESOLVED that in accordance with Section 100A(4)
Local Government Act 1972 the public be excluded from the meeting
for the remaining items of business as it is likely that, in view
of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the
proceedings, if members of the public are present there will be
disclosed to them exempt information as defined in paragraphs 7C,
Part 1, Schedule 12A (as amended) Local Government Act 1972,
namely: Information presented to a Standards Committee, or to a sub-committee of a Standards Committee, set up to consider any matter under regulations 13 or 16 to 20 of the Standards Committee (England) Regulations 2008, or referred under section 58(1)(c) of the Local Government Act 2000
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Exempt minutes To approve the exempt minutes of 10 December 2010. Minutes: The exempt minutes of the last meeting had been circulated with the agenda.
Upon a vote it was unanimously
RESOLVED that the exempt minutes of the meeting held on the 10 December 2010 be agreed and signed as an accurate record. |
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Report on the outcome of a complaint To note the recent decision of a Hearing Sub-Committee Minutes: The Chairman introduced the Decision Notice from the Standards (Determination of Complaints) Sub-Committee meeting of the 10 February 2011. Members were asked only to note the decision.
Independent Member Duncan Chittenden, Chairman of the Sub-Committee in question, had nothing to add to the report and invited questions.
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Date of next meeting Date of next meeting : 17 June 2011 Minutes: The next meeting was scheduled for the 17 June 2011.
Borough Councillor Robin MacDonald and Independent Member John Cripps would be unable to attend the meeting owing to other commitments and the Chairman advised that he too may be unable to attend. |
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Any other business Minutes: There were no urgent items for discussion. |