Minutes of the Standards Committee

16 June 2026

 

 

Present:

M. Hull (Chair)

 

Councillors:

 

C. Bateson

H.S. Boparai

J.T.F. Doran

D.L. Geraci

M. Gibson

K.M. Grant

 

M.J. Lee

S.C. Mooney

 

 

Apologies:

Councillors M.M. Attewell

 

 

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Minutes

 

The Committee resolved to approve the minutes of the meeting held on 25 February 2026.

 

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7/26       

Disclosures of Interest

 

Councillors Bateson, Boparai and Mooney declared that they were also councillors on the West Surrey Shadow Authority.

 

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Standards Committee Annual Report

 

The Committee considered the draft Annual Report for the calendar year 2025 and noted the key work undertaken during the year, including revisions to the complaints process, the protocol on member relations, governance improvements, and preparations for Local Government Reorganisation.

 

Members requested that performance data be captured and monitored showing compliance with complaint handling timescales and details of whether complaints were dealt with internally or referred externally. The Monitoring Officer agreed to present the additional performance information but advised this would be available for the 2025 reporting period only and not historically.

 

Concerns were raised about lengthy complaint investigations in previous years and their impact on those involved. The Monitoring Officer advised that this was not reflected within the annual report as this related the previous year only. The members present noted that the Democratic Services team were clerking the Standards Committee for the West Surrey Shadow Authority, that whilst this was seen as a positive opportunity there were concerns regarding officer capacity during the transition.

 

There were differing views on the report, with some members highlighting improvements in complaint handling and reduced complaint numbers, whilst Councillor Geraci expressed opposition to the report and requested that his dissent be recorded.

 

A recorded vote was requested by Councillor Geraci and the results were as follows:

 

For (7):

Councillors Bateson, Boparai , Doran, Gibson, Grant, Lee, Mooney

Against (1):

Councillor Geraci

 

 

Abstain (0):

 

 

 

The Committee RESOLVED that

 

  1. It noted and was assured regarding the work of the Standards Committee during 2025; and

 

  1. Subject to the inclusion of agreed performance metrics the Annual Report would be recommended to Council for endorsement.

 

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