Issue - meetings

[To receive a report from the Monitoring Officer on matters of relevance to the Committee.]

The Committee noted the contents of the Monitoring Officer's report and the following issues were raised during consideration of this:

(i)         Member Investigations/Associated Matters and Complaints for Local Assessment

The Deputy Monitoring Officer advised that no new complaints had been received since publication of the agenda.

(ii)        Member Training

The Monitoring Officer stated that a meeting of the Member Development Steering Group had taken place the previous week, at which it had been agreed that elected Members had until mid June 2009 by which to complete any appropriate training for the committees, boards or panels on which they now sat.  A date had been set for Councillor Mrs. Doyle to attend Standards Committee/Code of Conduct training and it was noted that Councillor Mrs. Doyle had also attended the Mock Standards Assessment Sub-Committee training which had taken place on 11th May 2009.  The Committee heard that 38 of the Council's 39 elected Members were due to attend planning training the following evening, which represented the seriousness with which Members took their regulatory commitments.

In relation to the Council's success in achieving Primary level of the West Midlands Local Government Association Member Development Charter, and with the onset of the 2009/10 municipal year, the Monitoring Officer was currently working with the Council's Learning and Organisational Development Manager to identify any Member requirements over the proceeding twelve months.  Monitoring and evaluation would be the key elements in obtaining the next level of the Member Development Charter. 

The Council's further success in obtaining Level 3 of the Equality Standards for Local Government was also noted, which was felt to be of particular significance given the limited resources available in this area to district councils.

(iii)       Parish Council matters

It was noted that a report detailing the Council's decision in relation to the Terms of Office of the Parish Councils' Representatives on the Standards Committee appeared later in the agenda.

(iv)       Annual Report of the Standards Committee

Officers apologised that it had not been possible for a draft of the Annual Report to be produced in time for the meeting.  It was agreed that this would be drawn up as soon as possible and that a copy of the draft Report be sent to all members of the Committee for comment, following which officers could finalise this in consultation with the Chairman, without the need of referring this back to a further meeting of the Committee for final approval.

(v)        Standards Board Annual Assembly

The Deputy Monitoring Officer highlighted the Standards Board's Annual Assembly which was taking place in Birmingham on 12th and 13th October 2009.  Members of the Committee were asked to contact the Monitoring Officer if interested in attending this.  No expressions of interest were expressed at the meeting.

(vi)       Standards Board Annual Return

The Deputy Monitoring Officer informed the Committee that officers had recently completed the Standards Board's annual on-line return, which covered the period 8th May 2008 (the introduction date of local assessment) to 31st March 2009.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8