Agenda

Members are asked to declare any interests they may have in the business to be discussed.

The minutes of the meeting of the Standards Committee, held on 5 December 2023 have been previously circulated and Members are asked to confirm that they are a correct record.

The Monitoring Officer submits a report outlining the process for Standards Complaints.

The Monitoring Officer submits a report regarding the consultation launched on 18^th December 2024 by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, seeking views on proposals to introduce measures to strengthen the standards and conduct regime for local authorities in England.

The Committee is recommended to note and respond to the consultation.

The Monitoring Officer submits a report giving feedback on complaints against Councillors reviewed and/or determined since the last meeting and updating the Committee on progress with outstanding complaints against Councillors.  The Committee is recommended to receive and note the report.

Members of the Public are to note that the Committee reserves the right to move into private session at any time, if required, should further information be requested or discussed that is in breach of paragraphs 1, 2 and 7c of the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985. Further information can be found under Item 7, Private Session of this agenda.

MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO NOTE

Under the law, the Committee is entitled to consider certain items in private.  Members of the public will be asked to leave the meeting when such items are discussed.

The Committee is recommended to consider the following reports in private on the grounds that they contain ‘exempt’ information as defined by the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985, as amended and consequently that the Cabinet makes the following resolution:-

“that the press and public be excluded during consideration of the following reports in accordance with the provisions of Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended, because they involve the likely disclosure of 'exempt' information, as defined in the Paragraphs detailed below of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act and taking all the circumstances into account, it is considered that the public interest in maintaining the information as exempt outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

Paragraph 1

Information relating to any individual.

Paragraph 2

Information which is likely to reveal the identity of an individual.

Paragraph 7c

The deliberations of a standards committee or of a sub-committee of a standards committee established under the provisions of Part 3 of the Local Government Act 2000 in reaching any finding on a matter referred under the provisions of section 60(2) or (3), 64(2), 70(4) or (5) or 71(2) of that Act.