Agenda and minutes

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

With the agreement of the Chair of Standards, Councillor H Wetherall contributed to the meeting virtually, through the electronic Conference Call system. She did not participate in the decisions taken by Standards Committee at the meeting.

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 17 April 2024.

RESOLVED – That the Minutes of the meeting of Standards Committee held on 17 April 2024 be approved as a true and accurate record.

Report of the Assistant Director of Governance and Monitoring Officer.

Members went over the proposed changes to the Constitution.

They discussed the need to limit the length of meetings of Council and considered that a maximum of three hours with the discretion of the Chair to extend this time would be a sensible limit.

Committee wanted to ensure that children in care would be able to ask questions at meetings of Council. They concluded that provision for this was covered by allowing 16 and 17 year olds living within or attending schools in the District to ask questions. They also considered that the length of questions asked by the public at meetings of Council should be restricted to 200 words and a 15 minute maximum time limit placed on this section of the meeting. This time limit could be extended by the Chair’s discretion.

Members drew attention to the Seconder’s right to speak on a Motion. They considered that the Seconder had a responsibility to explain their reason for seconding a Motion and should therefore not be able to reserve their speech unless by discretion of the Chair.

Committee suggested a change to Planning rules that would exclude Members from determination of a Planning application for areas where they are the Ward Member for the application site. The proposed changes would also introduce a requirement for all Planning Committee Members to confirm that they have no predetermination or bias at the start of every Committee meeting. Members considered that these changes would help to mitigate both real and perceived risks of conflict within the Committee and demonstrate good practice to the public.

RESOLVED – That Standards Committee approved the proposed changes to the Constitution and recommended that it be brought to the next meeting of Council for approval.

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.