Meeting documents

To consider a report with recommendations by the Monitoring Officer.

The recommendations relate to:

• The proposed amalgamation of the Standards and Constitution Committees

• Members Code of Conduct training

• The appointment of Deputy Section 151 Officers

• The review of the Scheme of Members’ Allowances

The Council RESOLVED to:

(1) Note the recommendations from the Standards and Constitution Committees for the proposed amalgamation of the two Committees to form a single Constitution and Standards Committee and to refer them to the new Council for consideration in May 2017 – paragraphs 3.1.4(2) and 3.1.5 refer.

(2) Agree that all members are requested to undertake the Code of Conduct training being provided as part of the induction of the new Council and that all Group Leaders are asked to encourage their members to do so – section 3.2 refers.

(3) Appoint Martin Gerrish and Martin Young, Strategic Managers in Finance as Deputy Section 151 Officers in accordance with section 3.3 of this report.

(4) Note the progress with the review of the Scheme of Members’ Allowances which will lead to the recommendation of the adoption of a revised Scheme to Council in July 2017 – section 3.4 of the report and Appendix A refers.

(1) The Council considered a report (Paper 5) from the Monitoring Officer, including recommendations from the Standards Committee and the Constitution Committee seeking Council approval for: the proposed amalgamation of the Standards and Constitution Committees; the request that all Members undertake Code of Conduct training; the appointment of Strategic Finance Managers Martin Gerrish and Martin Young as deputy Section 151 Officers; and to note progress on the review of the Scheme of Members allowances.

(2) The Monitoring Officer informed Council that the proposed amalgamation of the Standards and Constitution Committees would be brought to the Council’s May meeting for formal consideration, and further highlighted the excellent response from members to the questionnaire and member interviews undertaken by the Joint Independent Remuneration Panel.  He passed on the Panel’s thanks to the members for this input into the Panel’s evidence gathering phase.  

(3) The Chairman of the Standards Committee, Cllr Alan Gloak thanked Members of the Committee and officers of the Council. Cllr Gloak further noted it had been a privilege to chair the Standards Committee for  8 years and to be a Member of the Council for the past 16 years.

(4) During debate on the item the following issue was raised: the Independent Remuneration Panel questionnaire and interviews where Cllr Jane Lock paid tribute to the work being undertaken by the Panel.

(5) The recommendations within the report were proposed by Cllr John Osman and seconded by Cllr Alan Gloak.

(6) The Council RESOLVED unanimously to adopt the following recommendations, to:

1.  Note the recommendations from the Standards and Constitution Committees for the proposed amalgamation of the two Committees to form a single Constitution and Standards Committee and to refer them to the new Council for consideration in May 2017 – paragraphs 3.1.4(2) and 3.1.5 refer.

2.  Agree that all members are requested to undertake the Code of Conduct training being provided as part of the induction of the new Council and that all Group Leaders are asked to encourage their members to do so – section 3.2 refers.

3.  Appoint Martin Gerrish and Martin Young, Strategic Managers in Finance, as Deputy Section 151 Officers in accordance with section 3.3 of this report.

4.  Note the progress with the review of the Scheme of Members’ Allowances which will lead to the recommendation of the adoption of a revised Scheme to Council in July 2017 – section 3.4 of the report and Appendix A refers.