Agenda and minutes

Standards Committee - Wednesday, 16 March 2022 7.00 pm

Venue: Council Chamber, Council offices, Knowle Green, Staines-upon-Thames TW181XB

Contact: Gary Lelliott  Email: g.lelliott@spelthorne.gov.uk

Link: View the meeting on the Council's Youtube channel

Items
No. Item

489/22

Minutes pdf icon PDF 185 KB

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 20 October 2021.

Minutes:

The minutes of the Standards Committee held on 20 October 2021 were agreed.

490/22

Disclosures of Interest

To receive any disclosures of interest from councillors in accordance with the Council’s Code of Conduct for members.

Minutes:

There were none.

491/22

Arrangements for dealing with allegations of breaches of the Member Code of Conduct pdf icon PDF 149 KB

To consider revised arrangements for dealing with complaints against councillors.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The local arrangements had been updated following the issuing of revised best practice by the Local Government Association.

 

It was acknowledged that standards complaints were time consuming to administer and that there were a significant number of cases still awaiting resolution due to the number of complaints received.  The committee therefore hoped that the new arrangements, which clarified the Monitoring Officer’s authority on determining any initial action on the receipt of complaints, would result in speedier outcomes being reached in many cases.  Mechanisms, to ensure that complainants were kept apprised of progress on their complaints, had also been incorporated.

 

It was resolved that the revised arrangements for member code of conduct complains be approved.

492/22

Update on Complaints relating to the Member Code of Conduct pdf icon PDF 282 KB

To note those complaints dealt with under the Member Code of Conduct arrangements between November 2021 and February 2022.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Monitoring Officer provided an overview of the number of complaints (including any outcomes) that had been received since the previous report in October 2021.

 

The Committee remained disappointed at the number and nature of the complaints that continued to be received.

 

It was resolved that the report be noted.

493/22

Membership of the Committee System Working Group pdf icon PDF 207 KB

To approve the membership of the Committee System Working Group.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The membership arrangements had been amended to account for frequent changes in political groups at Spelthorne.

 

It was resolved that the membership of the Committee System Working Group comprise of all Group Leaders and independent members that exist at the time of any meeting of the Working Group, and one additional named Conservative member.