Article 8 – The Standards Committee

8.1         Appointment

The Council will appoint a Standards Committee at its Annual Meeting.

8.2         Membership

The Standards Committee will be composed of:

· nine councillors who shall be representative of all political groups as far as practical and in accordance with political proportionality, and shall not include the Mayor; and

· two persons who are not a councillor or a member of staff (an Independent Member);

The Independent Members are advisory and will not be entitled to vote at meetings.

8.3         Chairing the Committee

The Chairman and Vice Chairman of the committee shall both be Independent Members.

8.4         Role and Functions

The Standards Committee will have the following roles and functions:

(a) promoting and maintaining high standards of conduct by councillors and any co-opted members (Members);

(b) the establishment of a Hearings Panel (comprising three councillors drawn from the membership of the Standards Committee and chaired by an independent member) to assess and determine complaints against Members under the Code of Conduct;

(c) to support the Monitoring Officer in exercising his/her delegated authority, in consultation with the Chairman of the Standards Committee, to select councillors to serve on the Hearings Panels above on a case by case basis;

(d) assisting the Members to observe the Members’ Code of Conduct;

(e) assisting the councillors in carrying out their civic duties effectively through promoting, managing and agreeing a programme of member development;

(f) advising the Council on the adoption or revision of the Members’ Code of Conduct;

(g) monitoring the operation of the Members’ Code of Conduct;

(h) advising on training Members on matters relating to the Members’ Code of Conduct;

(i) granting dispensations to Members from the requirements relating to interests set out in the Members’ Code of Conduct;

(j) keeping an overview of and advising the Council on its Planning Code;

(k) keeping an overview of and advising the Council on its Councillor and Staff Protocol;

(l) keeping an overview on the operation of, and advising the Council on, any changes to its Constitution;

(m) to appoint such independent person(s) as necessary pursuant to Section 28 Localism Act 2011;

(n) keeping an overview on the operation of, and advising the Council on, the Staff Code of Conduct; and,

(o) any other responsibilities which may be delegated to it by the Council.