Issue - meetings

To receive an update from the Monitoring Officer on matters of relevance to the Committee, and to include the following:

(a)       Member Investigations/associated matters;

(b)       Member Training:

(i)         "Local First Sieve" event - Cannock Chase District Council (details attached); and

(ii)        Local assessment - training exercise; and

(c)        Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007, including the latest position on regulations and Standards Board guidance. 

[Note: at the time of preparation of this agenda neither the regulations nor the Standards Board guidance had been published.  Should either of these become available by the date of the meeting officers will provide an appropriate update and the Committee will be asked to make any necessary decisions.  Communities and Local Government has issued a summary of responses received to its consultation paper on the orders and regulations which will implement the new revised locally-based ethical regime.  A copy of the summary can be accessed via the following link: http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/localgovernment/pdf/743746.pdf.        

Member Investigations/associated matters

Members heard that a final determination hearing would be taking place on 20th May 2008, for which the Investigating Officer's findings, in two respects, were that there had been no breach of the Code of Conduct and, in one respect, that there had been a breach of the Code.  Two separate investigations, one in relation to a parish councillor and the other a district councillor, were currently being undertaken, the final reports for which were expected in mid and late June.  The Standards Board was also considering a further district matter to see whether this was suitable for investigation.  It was noted that as the Standards Committee (England) Regulations 2008 were due to come into force on 8th May 2008 any ongoing matters would be dealt with under the previous rules which were in place at the time the complaint was made.   

Member Training

Officers advised as follows:

• A further 'Mock Council' training session was planned for 6.00pm on Wednesday, 21st May 2008 in the Council Chamber.  This would include new furniture layout and a pilot for improved technical links for matters under discussion at Council meetings.  An invite was extended to all members of the Committee should they wish to observe this.

• Any members of the Committee interested in attending the "Local First Sieve" event at Cannock Chase District Council on 10th June 2008 should notify officers as soon as possible.
• A training exercise, including case studies, on local assessment would be included in the agenda for meeting of the Committee on 12th June 2008. 
• Chairmanship training for the Committee's Independent Members was to be arranged and the Council's Monitoring Officer would contact the Independent Members to agree a suitable date for this. 
• A final training session on the new Code of Conduct was being arranged for those Members who had not yet undertaken training on this.  The Leader of the Council had spoken with the Members concerned and the training for this was likely to be completed within the next couple of months. 
• In accordance with impending Constitutional changes, Standards Committee training would need to be undertaken by any new members of the Committee by 1st September 2008.

RESOLVED that the updates provided be noted.