Issue - meetings
Code of Conduct for Members - Complaints and Investigation Monitoring (to follow)
Meeting: 18/03/2014 - Standards Advisory Committee (Item 3)
3 Code of Conduct for Members - Complaints and Investigation Monitoring PDF 97 KB
To note the monitoring information contained in the report.
Minutes:
Meic Sullivan-Gould, the interim Monitoring Officer introduced the report, which informed the Committee on the number and nature of complaints received and action taken as a result. The interim Monitoring Officer emphasised the need for investigations to be proportionate to the incident, and also highlighted the costly nature of such investigations. As a result of this, the interim Monitoring Officer insisted on complaints being concise with evidence to support it, in order to take them forward.
The Committee discussed the importance of reviewing the current procedures to make them more efficient and faster in dealing with cases. Officers referred to the coming election and that it may not be the appropriate time to seek changes to processes. The Committee was informed that a fast track complaints procedure to deal with election offences had been created. .
Members of the Committee raised concerns on the Committee’s ability to effectively bring Councillors to account. Some members felt that since the Localism Act, power had been eroded from the Standard (Advisory) Committee and it was currently not fit for purpose. The Committee discussed the behaviour of some Members at Council meetings and felt that the Speaker should be given more power to control conduct.
It was agreed that there was a need to call a meeting after the local election, to look specifically at how current procedures could be made more effective.
In response to a question the interim Monitoring Officer confirmed that all elected officials signed up to the Code of Conduct and were therefore subject to the same processes. There was no distinction made between a Councillor and a Mayor, as they both are bound by the same rules and expectations.
The Committee agreed that the procedure needed to be reviewed and that the starting point was to begin with the Code of Conduct. It was suggested that the new Committee could make recommendation at the first meeting and refer it to Council.
The Committee discussed the possibility of an external facilitator attending the next meeting to assist the group in reviewing best practice and putting forward recommendations on procedural change. A Member of the Council however recommended that to cut down cost, the Committee should go ahead with the planned meeting, and only call on external assistance if further help was needed.
The interim Monitoring Officer offered to send the Committee available links to current literature on this subject.
The Committee agreed that the first meeting after the election, on 15 July 2014, would focus on the code of conduct and timesheets.
Resolved
1. That the Advisory Committee note the complaints and investigation monitoring information contained in the report.
2. That the next meeting consider possible changes to the code of conduct and related procedures as set out above.
Action
Matthew Mannion, Committee Services Manager
Meic Sullivan-Gould, interim Monitoring Officer