Venue: Council Chamber, Argyle Road, Sevenoaks
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To agree the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 27 February 2024, as a correct record.
Minutes: Resolved: That the Minutes of the meeting held on the 27 February 2024 be approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record. |
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Declarations of interest Any interests not already registered Minutes: There were none. |
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Monitoring Officer's Annual Report Additional documents:
Minutes: Members considered the twentieth annual report of the Monitoring Officer, which set out the work of the Monitoring Officer and Standards Committee. The report indicated that fourteen formal complaints had been submitted between January to December 2024, seven of which were against District Members.
The Monitoring Officer advised thatAuditors had suggested Members should be given the option to implement the Local Government Association (LGA) Model Code of Conduct which specifically addressed bullying and respect. The existing Code and the LGA were both lawful but differed in some regards. For example, the LGA Code required publication of gifts over the value of £50 rather than the current £25, and Members with a non-pecuniary interest would be required by the LGA Code to leave the Chamber when that interest was discussed. He explained that the LGA Code of Conduct was being offered as a change to the currently adopted Code on a ‘take it or leave it’ basis. Recommending the Code to the Council, with no other adjustments to the Council’s Constitution, was within the remit of the Standards Committee. There was therefore no requirement for a report to go to the Governance Committee.
The Chairman thanked the Monitoring Officer for his report. She addressed the committee before handing over to members to ask any questions or to obtain their views on the LGA Code of Conduct. She noted the increase in formal complaints received over the last year compared to previous years, and the cost implication associated with these complaints. She took the opportunity as the Chair of the Standards Committee to say that Members were all entitled to their opinions and that Members come from different parties but, that they should all remember that they were there for the same reason and that they should continue to work together and remain professional. The Chairman reminded members that they should be mindful of how they conduct themselves in council meetings, when representing the council and when communicating with others whether that be with other Members, officers or members of the public. The Chairman thanked the Committee for their time.
Members considered the LGA Code of conduct and it was suggested that in light of the ongoing local government reorganisation it could make it easier to work with other authorities. Members considered dispensations for non-pecuniary interests. The Monitoring Officer explained that dispensations were subject to a formal process. It was confirmed that any Code of Conduct was a public document and would be available on the Council’s website.
Members discussed the different types of complaints and whether Complainants could be educated by third parties to avoid unnecessary cases. The Monitoring Officer explained that the majority of the complaints were made by members of the public and they covered a range of conduct issues. He further explained that if adopted, it was intended that the LGA Code would start in the new civic year. The adoption of a new Code would trigger the need for Members to declare their interests again.
Resolved: ... view the full minutes text for item 9. |