Agenda item - Monitoring Officer's Update Report

Agenda item

Monitoring Officer's Update Report

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;

(c)        Standards Board for England guidance on Local Assessment of Complaints (guidance attached); and

(d)       First Annual Report of the Standards Committee (to follow).

Minutes:

Member Investigations/associated matters

 

Members were advised of the outcome of a Final Determination hearing which had taken place on 20th May 2008, for which it was noted there were no ongoing implications.  Of the three current investigations which were taking place under the former regime, two (one relating to a district councillor and the other to a parish councillor) were due to have Investigating Officer reports completed on 16th June and 29th June respectively, both of which were on target for completion. The third (relating to a district councillor) had been retained by the Standards Board for England (SBE) for investigation, the completion date of which was not yet known and in respect of which the SBE had not contacted the Council since officers had responded to SBE queries on 1st May 2008.   

 

Complaints for Local Assessment

 

A total of 5 complaints had been received since the introduction of local assessment on 8th May 2008, the initial of which had been considered at the first meeting of the Standards Assessment Sub-Committee which had taken place earlier that evening and which had not resulted in referral for investigation.  The remaining complaints were due to be considered at a meeting of the Assessment Sub-Committee on 18th June 2008. 

 

Member Training

 

Officers advised that the Member Development Steering Group was due to meet the following week and would be looking at the training programme for Members for the year ahead, with specific training being established on a quarterly basis.  Following recent changes to the Constitution, the Group needed to determine the core elements of what was required in order for Members to sit on each of the Council's committees with effect from 1st September 2008.  Mock Council and Value for Money training had recently taken place, with further sessions due to be held on: the Code of Conduct; Planning (appeals and beginners); Licensing; Chairing Meetings (to include the Independent Members on the Standards Committee); Standards Committee and Members' Interests.  Equality and Diversity training, on a county wide basis, had also taken place, and officers were due to visit two of the Parish Councils shortly to assist with any training requirements.

 

Standards Board for England guidance on Local Assessment of Complaints

 

The Standards Board guidance on Local Assessment of Complaints was noted.  Officers advised that the local assessment process had been advertised in the press, with a further article due appear in the next issue of the Council's Together Bromsgrove publication and details of the new regime to be found on the Council's website.  A query was raised in relation to page 12 of the guidance which stated that if an authority was responsible for any parish councils there should be a minimum of three parish council representatives on its standards committee.  Officers advised that this was guidance only and that legislation required there to be only two such representatives.

 

First Annual Report of the Standards Committee

 

A copy of the final draft of the Committee's First Annual Report was tabled at the meeting.  Officers advised that there were still a couple of gaps of information to be completed and members of the Committee were asked to direct any comments on this to officers by the end of the following week.  A request was made for authority to be delegated to the Monitoring Officer, in consultation with the Chairman, for any further required changes to be made to the Report.  Regarding publicity of the Report, officers advised that this would appear on the Council's website, with a link to be sent to all Parish Council clerks and hard copies to be placed in the Council House reception, Customer Service Centre and all public libraries in the District.  An announcement would be made at full Council advising Members of the existence of the Report, with copies also to go in the Members' Room, and a request was made for a supply of hard copy Reports to be sent to each of the Parish Council clerks.

 

The Chairman stated that the aim of the Report was to raise the profile of the Committee and to ensure the public was aware of the work of the Committee in view, in particular, of the introduction of local assessment of complaints against parish and district councillors.  It was queried whether in view of both the need to raise the profile of the Committee and the forthcoming Independent Member vacancy, there was any merit in the Chairman being interviewed by the local press, which officers agreed to look into and report back on.     

 

RESOLVED:

(a)       that the updates provided be noted; and

(b)       that authority be delegated to the Monitoring Officer, in consultation with the Chairman of the Standards Committee, to make any further required changes to the First Annual Report of the Standards Committee.    

Supporting documents: