Agenda and draft minutes

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

There were none.

The Panel is asked to consider excluding the press and public from the meeting during consideration of the following item on the grounds that it is likely to involve the disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 2 (Information likely to reveal the identity of an individual) of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.

In making its decision, the Panel is asked to confirm that having regard to all circumstances, it is satisfied that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

In this case the proper administration of the complaints procedure in the public interest is that consideration of complaints should not be made public at an early stage, when the complaints may or may not be proved and may or may not be investigated.

The Panel considered whether the press and public should be excluded from the meeting on the grounds that it was likely to involve the disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 1 (information relating to any individual) of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.

The Panel in making its decision had regard to all circumstances and was satisfied that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information.

RESOLVED that the press and public be excluded from the remainder of the meeting.

To consider the exempt report of the Investigating Officer and determine whether the complaint against Councillor B amounts to a breach of the Members’ Code of Conduct and whether any sanctions are appropriate.

The Standards Sub-Committee (Hearings), having reviewed the evidence before it, RESOLVED that Councillor B had failed to comply with the Members’ Code of Conduct, specifically the requirements to act solely in the public interest and promoting high standards of conduct.

Following representations from the investigator and Councillor B, the Standards Sub-Committee (Hearings) decided that it was appropriate that a private apology be issued to the complainant and that the Monitoring Officer provide Councillor B with appropriate refresher training on data protection requirements.