Issue - meetings

[To note the final reports of the Standards Board for England's Ethical Standards Officer on investigations undertaken following three separate complaints against a District Councillor for alleged breaches of the Bromsgrove District Council Code of Conduct.]

Further to Minute 07/09 above, the Committee received, for information only, the final reports of the Standards Board for England's Ethical Standards Officer on the outcomes of the investigations into three separate allegations that Councillor Peter McDonald had breached the Bromsgrove District Council Code of Conduct.  It each of the cases the Ethical Standards Officer had made a finding that Councillor McDonald had not failed to comply with the Code.

The Committee noted that it was bound by the Investigating Officer's findings and that it had no powers to either investigate or make its own findings on the cases.  The Assessment Sub-Committee needed to give careful consideration when referring possible breaches of the Code to the Standards Board for investigation, rather than to the Monitoring Officer for local investigation, and it was noted that the Monitoring Officer could appoint an independent external investigating officer should the particular circumstances warrant this.

RESOLVED that the Standards Board for England's Ethical Standards Officer's findings of no breach in relation to the three separate allegations against Councillor McDonald be noted.