Issue - meetings

[To receive an oral report from the Parish Councils’ Representatives on any matters of relevance to the Committee, and to include an update on the recent meeting(s) of the Bromsgrove Area Committee of the Worcestershire County Association of Local Councils (CALC).]

Mr. Cypher confirmed that one meeting of the Bromsgrove Area Committee of the Worcestershire County Association of Local Councils ("CALC") had taken place since the Standards Committee had last met.

It was noted at the meeting that Parish Council Clerks continued to draw attention to the importance of Parish Councillors completing the required Register of Members' Interests form, and of the need for completed forms to be returned to the Monitoring Officer within the requisite period.

Regarding the notification to parish councils of complaints about their Members item which had appeared earlier in the Monitoring Officer's ("MO's") report, and for which it had been agreed an item should be included in the next Parish Councils' Forum agenda, Mr Cypher stated that there had previously been the possibility of a county-wide approach being adopted for this but that he had not heard anything further in this regard.  Standards for England had since issued its guidance, which Mr. Cypher had made reference to at the Area Meeting and for which Parish Council Clerks should therefore be ensuring relevant procedures were in place. 

Some concerns had been expressed at the Area meeting on the alleged 'fuss on where district councillors sat' following the meeting of full Council in July 2009, and of the monies which Council had approved to fund the investigations into certain of the complaints arising from this.  Mr. Cypher advised that he had made clear at the meeting that there were other important issues surrounding the events in question and that it was not simply an issue of where councillors had sat.

A discussion had also taken place at the Area meeting on the previous complaints linked to an article in a Parish Council newsletter and of the editorial policy in respect of such newsletters.  On review, it had been decided that the complaints should be referred to the MO for other action.  The parish councillors concerned were said to be unhappy at having only been made aware of the position after the Assessment Sub-Committee had met and of their not being given the opportunity of putting forward their side of the case, and had therefore questioned whether this was in accordance with the rules of natural justice.

The Deputy Monitoring Officer advised that she understood the concerns raised and highlighted the difficulties should subject Members be made aware of complaints prior to the assessment stage, particularly in view of legislative restrictions concerning the limited information of which subject Members could be made aware before a complaint had been assessed.  The Monitoring Officer added that she felt the processes in place, which had been agreed by the Committee, provided for a very robust system, which it was difficult for anyone to attempt to undermine.

RESOLVED that the position be noted.