Chairman: Councillor Poole
Venue: f01e Large Conference Room, Church Square House, 30-40 Church Square, Scunthorpe
Time: 2 pm
Email Address: dean.gillon@northlincs.gov.uk
AGENDA
- Substitutions (if any)
- Declarations of Disclosable Pecuniary Interests and Personal or Personal and Prejudicial Interests.
- To take the minutes of the meeting of the Standards Committee held on 21 November 2018 as a correct record and authorise the chairman to sign.
- Local Government Ethical Standards - A Review by the Committee for Standards in Public Life.
- Publication of Councillors' and Candidates' Home Addresses - Correspondence from the Minister for Local Government.
- Complaints Schedule – Update.
- Any other items which the Chairman decides are urgent by reason of special circumstances which must be specified.
Note: Reports are by the Director: Governance & Partnerships unless otherwise stated.
MINUTES
PRESENT: – Councillor Poole (in the Chair).
Councillors Collinson, T Foster, Longcake, Perry, Wells and Wilson
Mr Harvie – Co-opted Member (Non-voting)
The committee met at the Civic Centre, Scunthorpe
252 DECLARATIONS OF DISCLOSABLE PECUNIARY, PERSONAL OR PERSONAL AND PREJUDICIAL INTERESTS - There were no declarations of interests made at the meeting.
253 MINUTES – Resolved – That the minutes of the meeting of this committee held on 21 November 2018, having been printed and circulated amongst the members, be taken as read and correctly recorded and be signed by the chairman.
254 (17) LOCAL GOVERNMENT ETHICAL STANDARDS - A REVIEW BY THE COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDS IN PUBLIC LIFE – The Director: Governance and Partnerships submitted a report presenting and summarising the Committee for Standards in Public Life's recent report into local government ethical standards, and setting out possible measures to further strengthen North Lincolnshire Council's standards arrangements.
The Committee for Standards in Public Life's report included a number of conclusions and recommendations, along with 15 examples of Best Practice that were directed to local authorities. The report set out each example of Best practice and included narrative to each, setting out the local situation and possible options for further strengthening local arrangements.
The Chairman led a detailed discussion on the contents of the report, and on the specific examples of Best Practice, making a series of suggested changes to the Code of Conduct. The Committee agreed to seek Council's approval to make these changes.
Resolved - That a report be submitted to Council, describing the background and context, and include suggested changes to the Code of Conduct.
255 (18) PUBLICATION OF COUNCILLORS' AND CANDIDATES' HOME ADDRESSES – The Monitoring Officer circulated a recent letter from the Minister for Local Government to the Leaders and Chief Executives of all local authorities. The letter informed authorities that Parliament had amended the rules that apply to local government, town and parish councils, and local and combined authority mayor elections, to remove the requirement that candidates needed to publish their home and qualifying addresses. These changes meant that all candidates in local elections in England have a choice whether or not to include a home address on ballot papers and whether they wish to publish a qualifying address. The letter also clarified arrangements for handling sensitive interests.
The Committee discussed the letter and any local implications.
Resolved - That the letter be noted and that officers take appropriate action to comply with the revised legislation.
256 (19) COMPLAINTS SCHEDULE – The Director: Governance and Partnerships submitted a report updating the committee on progress made with complaints received.
The Director updated members on the complaints schedule, confirming that three complaints were outstanding, which had recently been deferred by the Assessment Panel. These would be reconsidered in due course. The remainder of the schedule was up to date.
Resolved – That the report be noted.