Issue - meetings

[To consider whether it is appropriate to develop links between the Standards Committee, the Cabinet and/or the Senior Management Team, and if so, how those links should be developed and what form they should take.]

The Committee considered a report which asked whether links should be developed between the Standards Committee, the Cabinet and/or the Senior Management Team, and if so, how those links should be developed and what form they should take; an issue which had arisen in the light of questions previously contained in Standards for England's Annual Return.  Councillor G. N. Denaro, Portfolio Holder ("PH") for Resources and Cabinet Member, was in attendance for this item.

It was noted that whilst informal links currently existed between the Monitoring Officer ("MO") and the PH and the MO and the Corporate Management Team, there were no formal links in place between the Standards Committee and either the Cabinet or senior management.  Councillor Denaro stated that the Cabinet did not receive the minutes of Standards Committee meetings, which he felt was appropriate given that the Standards Committee did not report to the Cabinet.  It was his personal view that any future links which might be established should not influence the independence of the Committee.  The constitutional role of the Portfolio Holder in relation to the Standards Committee was also noted.    

Members discussed various options for, and the resulting implications of, both formal and informal meetings being established between the Committee and the Cabinet and/or senior management, and of the MO's role in this regard.  The local position, which it was recognised included some relationship issues, was a key consideration in progressing future links.  It was agreed that care should be taken to ensure that the independence of the Committee was not seen to be compromised, whilst noting that Standards for England had suggested that the establishment of some formal links might be good practice.  In order that they could demonstrate strong ethical values it was felt important that both senior politicians and officers had a clear understanding of the Committee and the extent to which there was any dysfunction within the Council.   

The Committee agreed that the establishment of future links would need to involve a stepped approach.  The MO advised that following the General Election it was the Chief Executive's intention to look at some of the ways in which issues that the Council currently had in relation to ethical governance might be addressed.  Members felt that informal discussions between the Standards Committee and the Chief Executive on such issues might be the first step, particularly in view of the Chief Executive's day to day role in working with the leaders of the political groups, with a first meeting in this regard hopefully to take place in September 2010.

RESOLVED that the Monitoring Officer be tasked with speaking to the Chief Executive regarding the establishment of informal meetings between the Chief Executive and the Standards Committee to discuss ethical governance issues.