Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors P Antcliff and C Cupit.

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.

There were no declarations of interest.

To approve as a correct record and the Chair to sign the Minutes of the Standards Committee held on 15 October 2024.

The following amendments were agreed to be made to the Minutes:

For Minute STA/4/24-25, paragraph 4, insert ‘to disability’ so the sentence read ‘…there was no pattern in relation to disability to the three upheld complaints’.

For Minute STA/7/24-25, paragraph 1, insert the word ‘considered’, so the sentence read ‘The Committee considered a report…’.

A question was raised regarding Minute STA/6/24-25 about whether there was any way to assess if the statutory officers, which formed the Golden Triangle, were able to perform some of the tasks required, such as providing guidance that may not be welcome.  The Assistant Director of Governance and Monitoring Officer stated that the statutory officers met every week and regularly with the Council’s Leadership but there was currently no mechanism to speak to other groups.  It was noted that statutory officers could make formal reports when it was felt necessary.  The Assistant Director of Governance and Monitoring Officer would consider this further outside of the meeting.

RESOLVED – That the Minutes of the meeting of Standards Committee held on 15 October 2024 be approved as a true and accurate record, subject to the amendments above.

The Assistant Director of Governance and Monitoring Officer presented a report on a consultation on virtual attendance of Members at meetings and on the use of proxy votes.

The report set out that on 24 October 2024 the Government had launched an 8-week consultation in relation to introducing powers for local authority members to apply to the relevant authority for a dispensation to attend formal council meetings remotely and vote by proxy in certain circumstances.

The consultation questions, and a set of proposed responses were set out at Appendix 1 to the report.

The Committee considered each consultation question and discussed the proposed responses.  It was proposed that the Assistant Director of Governance and Monitoring Officer amend the proposed responses in line with the Committee’s discussion.  The amended response would then be recommended to Council for approval and submission.

RESOLVED – That:

(1)         the response to the consultation be agreed, in line with amendments made during the Committee’s discussion.

(2)         the response to the consultation be recommended to Council for approval and submission.

The Chair proposed that this item be postponed to the next meeting to enable Councillor D Hancock, who had raised the issue, to attend.

RESOLVED – That the item be considered at the next meeting on 5 March 2025.

The Committee considered a report which set out the Council’s Code of Corporate Governance.

The report stated that the Council had in place a Code of Corporate Governance.  This, along with the Annual Governance Statement, reflected the main components set out in the CIPFA and SOLACE guidance “Delivering Good Governance in Local Government: Framework”.  The Code was a public statement of the arrangements the Council had in place to ensure it conducted its business in a way that upheld the highest standards.

The report also stated that each year the Council’s Monitoring Officer and Section 151 Officer conducted a review of compliance with the Code.  The outcome of the review this year had been considered by the Audit Committee on 8 July 2024.

RESOLVED - That the Code of Corporate Governance be noted.

The Committee considered a report which set out the areas of the Constitution to be reviewed this year. The Committee had previously made a decision to carry out a light touch review of the Constitution this year.  The review would include the usual housekeeping review by officers and other areas that needed to be reviewed were set out in Appendix 1 to the report.  Further suggestions for areas to review were welcomed for consideration.

RESOLVED – That the proposed areas for review be noted.

The Committee considered its work programme for the remainder for the 2024/25 Municipal Year.

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.

There was no urgent business to be considered.