To elect a Chairman/woman for the meeting.

Councillor Thomas (J) was elected Chairman for the 2017-2018 Municipal Year.

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Board held on 1 March 2017.

The Minutes of the meeting of the Standards Committee held on 1 March 2017 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To establish a Hearing Sub-Committee.

Members agreed to the establishment of the Hearing Sub-Committee as set out in the submitted report.

To consider a report produced by the Committee on Standards in Public Life.

Members considered a report that set out the Committee on Standards in Public Life’s Strategic Plan, Annual Report 2016-2017 and Forward Plan 2017-18.  The document set out the Committee on Standards in Public Life, purpose and focus, and identified strategic objectives and how the Committee intends to achieve them.

The Director of Corporate Services and Operations advised Members that the Code of Conduct was based upon the seven principles of public life.  These principles were reviewed annually by the Committee on Standards in Public Life, the review was quite clear that the challenge for Standards Committee’s was to be proactive rather than reactive and identifying areas that warrant early intervention.

Members felt training on the seven principles of public life along with the Code of Conduct would be of benefit, however the training would need to be very different to that delivered previously perhaps involving role play and when delivered after an election the sessions should be divided with new Members receiving intensive training.  The training needs to reinforce the importance of the seven principles and the positive effect abiding and upholding these can have on the reputation of Councillors and the Council.  Members also requested that where possible the training be delivered by trained facilitators rather than officers, who whilst experts in their field, are not necessarily trainers.

Members also considered the need to raise awareness of the work of the Standards Committee and requested the web pages relating to Standards be re-branded to include the Committee’s aspirations.  That three times a year the Members Bulletin be specifically about the work of the Standards Committee and the Chairwoman of Council be asked to include the communications from the Chairman of the Standards Committee at Council meetings periodically.

Resolved:

That the Director of Corporate Services and Operations compile a training programme both for a current refresh and for 2019 that addresses the differing levels of understanding between newly elected Members and re-elected Members.