Issue - items at meetings - Final Determination of Complaint Reference 94/09

Issue - meetings

Final Determination of Complaint Reference 94/09

 

 

Meeting: 08/07/2011 - Standards Committee (this Committee has now been combined wit the Audit, Standrds and Governance Committee and no longer meets) (Item 15)

15 Final Determination of Complaint Reference 94/09 pdf icon PDF 99 KB

[To make a final determination in relation to Complaint Reference 94/09 against former District Councillor Mrs. J. D. Luck.]

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Further to Minute No. 53/10 of the meeting of the Standards Committee held on 23rd March 2011, the Committee considered a report of the Investigating Officer on an alleged failure by former District Councillor Mrs Jean Luck to follow the Code of Conduct.

 

The complaint concerned an allegation that Mrs. Luck had failed to treat others with respect and had used her position to confer a disadvantage.

 

A report of the Investigating Officer dated 24th February 2011, which had found that Mrs. Luck had failed to follow the Code of Conduct in relation to the allegation, was considered.  The Committee was asked to determine whether, based on the facts set out in the report and the representations made at the hearing, it agreed with the Investigating Officer's findings. 

 

Further to the Investigating Officer's report having been made public at the consideration meeting in March, a request was received from the complainant for her identity to remain confidential.  The Committee considered the request and agreed that, in the circumstances detailed, the complainant's identity could remain confidential.  Any public copies of the report would therefore be redacted to remove the personal details of the complainant, together with any additional personal information.

 

It was noted that Mrs Luck had opted not to attend the hearing, or to be represented or to provide any written representations in support of her case.  Mrs Luck had further advised the Council's Ethical Standards Officer that she was happy for the hearing to proceed in her absence.

 

RESOLVED:

(a)       that Mrs. Luck had failed to follow the Code of Conduct by being in breach of Part 1 paragraph 3 (1) in that she failed to treat others with respect, and paragraph 6 (a) in that she had used her position to confer a disadvantage; and

(b)       that Mrs. Luck be censured for breaching the Code of Conduct.

 

RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE AUTHORITY

The Committee made the following recommendation to the authority:

(a)       that in light of the outcome of the case that the Members of the Council should be reminded of the importance of treating all their ward members with respect when dealing with casework, and of the need to ensure that they always respond to requests for help in a balanced and fair way.

 

For information the Committee was advised of a forthcoming training session for Members on the Role of the Ward Councillor and it was confirmed that a further reminder for the training session would be sent to all Members of the Council.

 

(A copy of the Committee's full decision, together with the reasons for it, is appended.)