Issue - meetings

To consider the proposed policy to support the provisions in the Member Code of Conduct.

The Committee considered a report that sought a recommendation to Council.

Members were advised that whenever possible complaints would be resolved informally and only serious complaints would be progressed to an investigation.

Concerns were raised in respect of the outcome of an investigation being published on the Council’s website. The Deputy Monitoring Officer advised that only a Decision Notice would be published that would outline the accusations and the outcome of the investigation; no exempt information would be publicised. Complainants are made aware that if their complaints are progressed to an investigation their name would be published on the website. Members agreed that if a person that had been complained against was exonerated following an investigation, they would be asked whether they wanted a Decision Notice published on the Council’s website or not. The Committee were advised that the wording in Paragraph 14.1 would be amended to reflect this.

The Committee RESOLVED to:

Make a recommendation to the Shadow Authority that the revised Standards Arrangements, set out in Appendix 1 and Appendix 2 to the report are agreed and that the Constitution be amended accordingly.