Agenda and minutes

Standards Committee (HPBC) - Wednesday, 9th November, 2022 6.30 pm

Venue: Virtual Meeting

Media

Items
No. Item

20/9

To receive Disclosures of Interest on any matters before the Committee

Minutes:

There were no declarations made.

20/10

To approve the minutes of the previous meeting pdf icon PDF 222 KB

Minutes:

RESOLVED:

 

That the minutes of the meeting held on 13 July 2022 be approved as a correct record, subject to Mr Carnall being included as an attendee.

20/11

Debate Not Hate Report pdf icon PDF 236 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

 

Consideration was given to the Debate Not Hate report issued by the Local Government Association under its civility in public life programme. The purpose of the programme was to address intimidation, standards of public and political discourse and behaviour in public office and provide support and advice to councils and councillors.

 

Councillors discussed the high levels of abuse and intimidation recorded at a national level and the lower levels experienced locally.  A number of tools were available to assist councillors which included advice available via the Council’s intranet and access to a confidential counselling service.

 

RESOLVED:

 

That the report be noted.

20/12

Local Government Ombudsman Annual Letter pdf icon PDF 270 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Discussion took place on the Ombudsman’s Annual Letter for the period April 2021 – March 2022. No complaints had been upheld against the Borough Council but two had been upheld against its Alliance partner, Staffordshire Moorlands District Council, which related to Revenues and Benefits.

 

RESOLVED:

 

That the content of the Ombudsman’s Annual Letter, Appendix A to the report, be noted.

 

20/13

Review of the Code of Conduct pdf icon PDF 214 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Council’s Code of Conduct for councillors was reviewed in line with best practice.  I was proposed to revise the code to incorporate an element of the Local Government Association’s model code with regards to other interests and deciding when it is appropriate to withdraw from participating in respect of the matter relating to that interest.

 

RESOLVED:

 

That Council be recommended to adopt the proposed revised Code of Conduct.

 

20/14

Exclusion of the Press and Public

To resolve that the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items of business as there may be disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972

 

Minutes:

RESOLVED:

 

That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items of business as there may be disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.

20/15

Exempt minutes of the previous meeting

Minutes:

RESOLVED:

 

That the exempt minutes of the meeting held on 13 July 2022 be approved as a correct record.

20/16

Complaints - Standards Committee Monitoring Report

Minutes:

Consideration was given to Standards complaints received by the Monitoring Officer since the previous Committee meeting.