Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence had been received from Councillors P Antcliff and K Rouse.

Members are requested to declare the existence and nature of any disclosable pecuniary interests and/or other interests, not already on their register of interests, in any item in the agenda and withdraw from the meeting at the appropriate time.

Members are requested to declare the existence and nature of any disclosable pecuniary interest and/or other interest, not already on their register of interest, in any item on the agenda and withdraw from the meeting at the appropriate time.

Councillors R Welton and D Ruff declared an interest as Members of Rykneld Board.

Councillor H Liggett declared an interest in item 4: Review of the Constitution – Part 4, as the Chair of Licensing Committee.

To approve as a correct record and the Chair to sign the Minutes of the Standards Committee held on 26 January 2022.

RESOLVED – That the Minutes of the Standards Committee held on the 26 January 2022 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

Report of the Assistant Director of Governance and Monitoring Officer

The Governance Manager presented a report to Committee in order for them to consider the list of areas for review within the Council’s Constitution for consideration by the Standards Committee prior to submission as part of the Annual Review of the Constitution to Council for adoption.

Members noted that after having considered the proposed amendment that “New CPR 24. 2 – CPR 13.2 does not apply to applications heard by either the Planning or the Licensing Committee”, Planning Committee were divided on the issue. Some Members of Planning Committee believed that this issue arose so rarely that it was not of major concern, whereas other members considered that the removal of this provision would conflict with transparency.

Standards Committee considered that as this issue arose only in rare occasions that the status quo should be maintained.

Members considered the clarification of deferment and adjournment and noted that the feedback from the Planning Committee had been that they saw no issue in this rule being applied unilaterally across all Committees and Council. The additional wording suggested would provide clarity and avoid challenge to the Planning Committee process.

Standards Committee agreed that the amendments related to the clarification of deferment and adjournment should be made.

Committee had a lengthy debate over the proposals to reduce the number of members on the licensing Sub-Committee from five to three in order to comply with the legislation.

Members considered that it would be beneficial to summon five members to the meeting to account for any potential last minute disruptions or absences. With this in mind, it was considered that the Sub-Committee should comprise of three members with an additional two substitute members.

RESOLVED – That Committee gave consideration to proposals for review and supported the submission of the proposals to Council as part of the Constitution Review at a future meeting.

Report of the Assistant Director of Governance and Monitoring Officer

The Monitoring Officer presented a report to seek the endorsement of the proposal to send out a short guide to officers and members on upholding good working relationships between Members and Officers.

Committee heard that this would refer to all Members generally. It was noted that there were a number of errors in the report where it referred only to Cabinet Members, this would be amended so that it reflected all Members.

RESOLVED – Standards Committee supported the Monitoring Officer in sending out the attached Aide Memoire to all members and putting it on the intranet for officers.

Report of the Assistant Director of Governance and Monitoring Officer.

Committee received a verbal update from the Monitoring Officer on Member Complaints.

It was reported that there were no new complaints and only one ongoing complaint that would be closed soon.

Members discussed the Work Programme and requested that the process for planning committee decisions to be called back, and motions and questions at Council be added for consideration at a future meeting.

RESOLVED – That the Work Programme be noted.

To consider any other matter which the Chair is of the opinion should be considered as a matter of urgency.

The Monitoring Officer informed Members that the response to Committee in Standards in Public life would be included on the agenda of the next meeting.

Chair updated Committee that, at Council’s request, his work to write to the Secretary of state regarding the Code of Conduct was still ongoing.