46 Monitoring Officer's Update Report PDF 431 KB
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.
Minutes:
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:
RESOLVED that the updates provided be noted.