To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from Sister Christine Frost, Mr Satnam Bains, Councillor Stephanie Eaton and Councillor Alex Heslop.

To note any declarations of interest made by Members, including those restricting Members from voting on the questions detailed in Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act, 1992.  See attached note from the Chief Executive.

No declarations of interest were made.

To confirm as a correct record of the proceedings the minutes of the ordinary meeting of the Standards Committee held on 20 January 2009.

The minutes of the meeting held on 20^th January 2009 were agreed as a correct record.

Matters Arising

Members queried information given at the previous meeting relating to Members’ timesheet returns, in light of information contained elsewhere on the agenda.  The Committee was advised that officers would investigate the queries.  A question was asked relating to whether the Chair had written to Members who had not submitted returns.  The Chair advised that the letter had not been required at the time, as the Members had been reported as being up to date with their timesheets.  However, he would investigate and confirm.

John Williams, Service Head, Democratic Services, presented a report which proposed guidance for Members and Officers in the event that a Member is asked to provide a reference on behalf of a constituent or other acquaintance.  It was acknowledged that the service provided by Councillors met a community need, and that it was important to codify existing arrangements to protect both the individual Councillor and the Council.

Some concern was expressed over the potential for bringing the Council into disrepute and it was suggested that there should be a requirement for the reference to be signed off by an officer; and/or that a provision should be included prohibiting references for direct family members.  However, the view was taken that there were already procedures in place for any allegations of Member impropriety to be considered by the Standards Committee.  It was proposed that minor changes to the wording of the guidelines be agreed (as attached at Appendix 1 to these minutes).

RESOLVED that

(i)                 the guidance attached at Appendix 1 to these minutes in respect of Reference Letters from Councillors be agreed; and

(ii)               the guidance be reviewed by the Standards Committee 6 months after its implementation.

The Committee noted that all Members had received training on the revised Code of Conduct and that an Ethical Standards Self Assessment audit could now be progressed.

The Chair noted the success of the training programme and thanked the Monitoring Officer for her efforts.

Ms Isabella Freeman, Assistant Chief Executive (Legal Services) and Monitoring Officer, presented a report setting out proposals for a survey of Members using an Ethical Standards Self Assessment Questionnaire following completion of Member training on the revised Code of Conduct.

RESOLVED that the proposals for the survey of Members and the draft Ethical Standards Self Assessment Questionnaire attached as Appendix 1 to the Committee report be agreed.

Mr John Williams, Service Head, Democratic Services, presented a report and a tabled appendix which gave an updated position on the completion of Members’ timesheets and attendance at meetings.  The Committee noted that there were still four Councillors who were more than three months behind with their timesheets and asked the Chair to write to those Members expressing the Committee’s concern.

The Committee considered the value of the time sheets in relation to the time taken to complete the sheets.  However it was considered that it was important for Members to be accountable and that a balance needed to be found between being transparent and not spending a disproportionate amount of time compiling the information, which could be spent better elsewhere.  It was suggested that Members be consulted to assess the effectiveness of the system.  The Committee was advised that a benchmarking exercise had been carried out, and that Tower Hamlets was one of a small number of comparable Councils which monitored such information.

In relation to the information about Members attendance at meetings, concern was expressed regarding the absence of Councillor Abjol Miah at meetings of the Standards Committee and the Audit Committee, and it was proposed that the Chair write to the Councillor to express those concerns.

RESOLVED that

(i)                 the position on the submission of Members’ timesheets and attendance at formal meetings during the current year be noted;

(ii)               the current frequency of monitoring reports to the Committee remain, but the quality of information be improved through consultation on different approaches and based on suggestions contained in Committee report, including information on the date that timesheets are completed; attendance at mandatory training events; completion of register of interests updates; and the development of Member role descriptions;

(iii)             a full breakdown of the Members’ timesheet and attendance information (in particular at training sessions, in relation to the Member Job Descriptions) be reported as a one-off item alongside the next monitoring report to the Committee; and

(iv)              the Chair of the Standards Committee write to Councillor Stephanie Eaton, Carli Harper-Penman, Alex Heslop and Oliur Rahman regarding their non-completion of timesheets; and to Councillor Abjol Miah regarding his absence from meetings of the Standards and Audit Committees.

Independent Members of the Committee

The Chair welcomed the two new Independent Members who had been observing the meeting in the public gallery, Mr Barry Lowe and Mr Matthew Rowe.  He also advised that interviews for the other two vacancies had taken place and that it was anticipated that the four new Independent Members would be in place for the beginning of the new municipal year.

The Committee noted that the terms of office of two of the existing Independent Members, Mr Satnam Bains and Sister Caroline Frost, would conclude at the end of the current municipal year and they would be standing down.  The Committee wished to place on record its thanks and appreciation for the significant contribution that both members had made to the work of the Committee since they were initially appointed in 2002, and asked that this be conveyed to Mr Bains and Sister Christine along with the Committee’s good wishes for the future.

Calendar of meetings

It was noted that the calendar of meetings for 2009/10 would be agreed by the full Council at its meeting on 22^nd April 2009 and that dates for the Standards Committee would be circulated to all members of the Committee.