Issue - meetings

To enable the Committee to monitor the operation of the Members’ Code of Conduct over the last 12 months and to consider what advice and guidance about ethical standards it recommends to be offered to Members in the next 12 months.

Declarations of interest:

None.

Witnesses:

Ann Charlton, Director of Legal and Democratic Services/Monitoring Officer

Key points raised during the discussion:

1.    The Director of Legal and Democratic Services introduced the report, explaining that as the report had been delayed there was 15 months of data.

2.    Members noted the importance for Members to attend one of the scheduled training sessions on interests.

3.    In response to a request, the Director of Legal and Democratic Services agreed to find and share some comparative statistics on ethical standards (Recommendations Tracker ref: A46/15).  She pointed out that this was a more difficult task with the abolition of the Standards Board and adoption of local codes of conduct.

4.    The Director of Legal and Democratic Services confirmed that she had clerked the appointment panel for the Independent Person but that Members had made the appointment.

Action/Further information to note:

The Director of Legal and Democratic Services to find and share some comparative statistics on ethical standards.

RESOLVED:

The committee NOTED the report.