Members are reminded to consider the categories of interest in the Code of Conduct for Members to determine whether they have an interest in any agenda item and any action they should take. For further details, please see the attached note from the Monitoring Officer.

Members are reminded to declare the nature of the interest and the agenda item it relates to. Please note that ultimately it’s the Members’ responsibility to declare any interests and to update their register of interest form as required by the Code.

If in doubt as to the nature of your interest, you are advised to seek advice prior to the meeting by contacting the Monitoring Officer or Democratic Services

There were no declarations of interest.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Standards Advisory Committee held on 22 September 2022.

RESOLVED

1.    That the minutes of the meeting held on 22 September 2022  be approved as a correct record of proceedings.

Janet Fasan, Director Legal and Monitoring Officer introduced the report that informed members of the Government’s response to the Committee on Standards in Public Life’s review of Local Government Ethical Standards published in January 2019, and updated members on the progress of LBTH in implementing them.

Further to questions from the Advisory Committee, Janet provided further detail on:

·         Recommendation 2: the process followed at LBTH to determine if addresses should be withheld from the register of interest and scope for discretion of the Monitoring Officer. Janet agreed to investigate whether the legislation allowed for more flexibility than is currently used and would report back.

·         Recommendation 11: The choice not to offer legal indemnity for Independent Persons.

·         Recommendation 23: Interpretation of the audit contact requirement referenced. Janet agreed to check the information published by the Council satisfies the recommendation.

Further to questions of officers, the advisory Committee:

·         Indicated they felt the implications of the review and Council responses was wider than the Advisory Committee. Members suggested the recommendations and Council response should be forwarded to the Mayor and a summary be included in the weekly members bulletin.

·         Expressed agreement with the response to recommendation 8 regarding fixed terms of office for IPs, but asked how the Council could best address risks of creating groupthink and reducing challenge and scrutiny by having IPs for longer terms.

RESOLVED that:

1.    The report be noted.

Matthew Mannion, Head of Democratic Services introduced the report that provided an assessment of the Member Induction Programme which ran from the May 2022 local elections to the autumn and looked forward to plans for the Learning and Development programme over the next year. Matthew explained how the London Member Development Network had inputted into the development of the programme and how the Council remained an active partner in the network’s discussions to refine and improve the provision of training and development.

Further to questions, Matthew provided the Advisory Committee with more detail on:

·         Outstanding areas of concern regarding attendance. Only one Councillor had not attended the ethics and probity training to date. Officers were liaising with them to agree a suitable date.

·         Mechanisms to encourage and recognise high levels of engagement and/or sanction those who repeatedly failed to attend training. The Advisory Committee questioned if group whips could play a role in this process.

Further to questions, the Advisory Committee:

·         Noted that external training was also available to Councillors, for example through the LGA.

·         Noted that Councillors likely sought to attend the training they felt was most relevant to their role and interests.

·         Suggested that alternative training formats, utilising video technology and remote attendance, might increase participation.

·         Noted and welcomed the positive feedback in survey responses on the overall induction programme.

·         Suggested Members be reminded that ongoing engagement in training and development represented one of the obligations of holding professional public office.

RESOLVED

1.    That the report be noted.

Matthew Mannion, Head of Democratic Services, introduced the report that proposed clear expectations on minimum attendance at Council and Committee meetings for co-optees.

Members of the advisory committee indicated they welcomed the proposals, but asked that appropriate flexibility be included to ensure that co-optees were not unfairly removed from their roles where they could demonstrate an exceptional or unavoidable reason for non-attendance.

RESOLVED that the Advisory Committee:

1.    Agreed the proposed additional paragraphs for the Constitution in relation to co-optee attendance at meetings, subject to inclusion of appropriate wording regarding flexibility when exceptional or unavoidable reason for non-attendance could be demonstrated.

2.    Agreed to delegate authority to determine the final wording of the addition referred to in resolution 1 to the Director Legal and Monitoring Officer.

3.    Agreed to forward the text as amended to the General Purposes Committee for consideration.

Patricia Attawia, Democratic Services Team Leader (Civic and Members) introduced the report that updated the Committee on the Members’ Register of Interests and declarations of gifts and hospitality submitted by Members since September 2022. Patricia asked Members to note that the description of the penultimate row of the table at paragraph 3.12 should read ‘dinner’.

Further to questions from the Advisory Committee, Patricia confirmed that the Council operated a nil return process for gifts and hospitality.

Matthew Mannion, Head of Democratic Services noted that oversight of Related Party Transactions, which was referred to in the report, would in future be undertaken by the Council’s Audit Committee.

RESOLVED that:

1.    The Advisory Committee noted the report.

Janet Fasan introduced the report that informed the Advisory Committee of dispensations in relation to disclosable pecuniary interests (DPI’s) under section 33 of the Localism Act 2011.

RESOLVED that:

1.    The dispensations granted by the Monitoring Officer as set out in Paragraphs 3.5, 3.6 and 3.7 of the report be noted.

Matthew Mannion introduced the report on the Advisory Committee’s work plan for 2022/23. Matthew invited suggestions from members of the Advisory Committee to inform the 2023/24 work plan. The Advisory Committee noted that the final meeting of the 2022/23 year had been scheduled for April 2023 and this would include the next 6-monthly review of complaint monitoring.

Further to point 5 from the actions list, ‘Discuss with Chair how best to undertake reviewing how complaints are responded to’, Janet summarised the work undertaken since the item was added to the action list. Due to risks of disclosure of sensitive information, it was determined that the proposal not be progressed. Some members indicated IPs could review response letters. Janet explained how IPs are involved in the preparation of response letters to complainants, but would not customarily see the letters themselves.

RESOLVED

1.    That the work plan be noted.

To consider any other unrestricted business that the Chair considers to be urgent.

There was none.

In view of the contents of the remaining items on the agenda the Committee is recommended to adopt the following motion:

“That, under the provisions of Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985, the press and public be excluded from the remainder of the meeting for the consideration of the Section Two business on the grounds that it contains information defined as Exempt in Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act, 1972.”

NOTE: EXEMPT/CONFIDENTIAL SECTION (Pink Papers)

The exempt committee papers in the agenda will contain information, which is commercially, legally or personally sensitive and should not be divulged to third parties.  If you do not wish to retain these papers after the meeting, please hand them to the Committee Officer present.

Not required.

None.