Agenda item

To confirm the draft minutes of the meeting held on 12 September, 2018, including matters arising.

The draft minutes of the Standards Committee held on 12 September 2018, were confirmed as correct.

Matters arising from the minutes:-

The Solicitor (Corporate Governance) has provided a “matters arising” document to all members of the Standards Committee detailing the actions which have been taken in accordance with the minutes of the meeting held on 12 September 2018.

Discussion focused on the following matters:-

Item 5 - Standards Committee Review of the Members’ Registers

•  The Chair attended a Group Leaders’ meeting in relation to a named Councillor, who had not reviewed his Register of Interests, nor had he contacted the member of the Standards Committee who reviewed his Register of Interests and had asked to discuss the findings.  Although the matter was raised, and an email was sent to the Group Leader in question, no communication has been received from him either in relation to this issue. 

It was decided by the Committee that they did not want to take any further action at this point but that the situation would be picked up again with the relevant member in the forthcoming review of the registers for 2019. 

•  The Monitoring Officer reported that ICT have contacted Mod.Gov several times, but has not yet received a response.  The recent email from the Digital Services Manager was read out to the Committee.  The Committee was of the view that this should be pursued further as the Committee would like a definitive answer.

RESOLVED not to pursue the first matter mentioned above but for officers to further pursue the second.

Action: To continue to try and obtain a response from Mod.Gov on the provision of a narrative.

•  In relation to the Standards Committee’s proposal for the 2019 review of registers and other documents relating to elected Members, which will be carried out in June/July 2019, it was RESOLVED to agree that a meeting be convened, following this formal meeting of the Committee, to discuss the Standards Committee’s proposals for the 2019 review.

Item 11 - Methodology Advice Note on the Review of the Registers of Interest of Elected and Co-opted Members

It was noted that the above Advice Note has been amended and circulated to members of the Standards Committee. 

Action:  That the link to the Methodology Advice Note be sent to all Members of the Council and independent members.

Item 12 - Gifts and Hospitality - Briefing Note to Members

It was reported that the Chair has not yet presented the Briefing Note that complements the Gifts and Hospitality Protocol to Group Leaders. 

It was noted that the Protocol has been reviewed, and the Monitoring Officer has recommended delaying its circulation to Members, due to the volume of information currently being forwarded to Members.

Item 13 - Individual Rights as Members - Briefing Note to Members - the recommendation above also applies to this item.

RESOLVED that the Standards Committee accepts the above proposals by the Monitoring Officer.

Action:  Circulate Item 12 and 13 above on the basis suggested by the Monitoring Officer.

Item 17 - Town and Community Councils’ Adoption of the Local Resolution Protocol

It was noted that the next meeting of the Standards Committee Forum will be held in Flintshire on a date to be confirmed and that the Chair of the Standards Committee will raise this issue at the next Forum.

RESOLVED to note the above.

Action:  The Chair of the Standards Committee to raise this issue at the next regional Standards Committee Forum.