NOTICE OF MEETING

Despatch date:     14^th January 2008   

Enquiries to:         Diane Moulson         

Tel:                      01270 537026

Fax:                     01270 537605

Email: agendas@crewe-nantwich.gov.uk

To:  Members of the Standards Committee,

Chief Executive, Executive Directors. Strategic Managers  

Other Members of the Borough Council (front sheets only) 

Local Press and Radio

Notes for Members of the Public

The Standards Committee consists of 5 elected Members, 3 Independent Members and 1 Parish Council Representative.  Mr Nigel Briers is the current Chair. 

The Borough Council welcomes and encourages members of the public to attend its Committee, Board and Council meetings.

If you plan to attend, please report to the Reception Desk in the Municipal Buildings, where you will be provided with a Visitor’s Pass.

Car parking is not available at the Municipal Buildings, but there are several town centre car parks. There is a disabled access to the rear of the Municipal Buildings, and this can be accessed through the side door on Vernon Way. Please press the button for attention, and someone will meet you and escort you through to the main reception area.

You are asked to remain quiet whilst the meeting is taking place, and to enter and leave the meeting room, or public gallery of the Council Chamber, as quietly as possible. Please ensure that if you have a mobile phone or pager, it is switched off for the duration of the meeting.

You are not allowed to have drinks or food in the meeting rooms, nor in the Public Gallery. 

Fire Evacuation

If the fire alarm rings, you should make your way to the nearest exit with your belongings, as quickly as possible, and leave the building. Please follow any instructions from staff about evacuation routes.

Copies of the agenda will be available if you attend. Agendas are also made available on the Internet and can be accessed via the Council’s website – see front page for details.

On occasions, members of the press and public will be excluded from the meetings when the business to be transacted is of a confidential nature, for example, dealing with individual people, contracts and financial affairs of other parties.

If you require any further information, please contact Diane Moulson the Committee Officer (details on front page).

AGENDA

1.           Apologies

2.           Declarations of Interest

Any Member present (including non-Committee Members) to declare any personal or prejudicial interests and the nature of that interest, in any item of business on the agenda and, if necessary, to leave the meeting prior to discussion of that item.

Members who also serve as County, Town or Parish Councillors are reminded of the need to make declarations in respect of any item which directly concerns the business of the appropriate authority. 

Declarations are a personal mater for each Member to decide.  Whilst officers will advise on the Code of Conduct and its interpretation, the decision to declare, or not, is the responsibility of the Member, based on the particular circumstances.

3.           Record of Meeting

To approve as correct the record of the meeting held on 9^th November 2007 (3).   

4.         Consultation on Orders and Regulations Relating to The Conduct of Local Authority Members in England  

The Standards Board for England has published a consultation document which invites Standards Committees to comment on the detailed arrangements proposed for the revised ethical regime of the conduct of local councillors in England, in particular –

 - the operation of Standards Committees’ powers to make initial assessments of misconduct allegations

 - the operation of other functions by standards committees and the Adjudication Panel in issuing penalties and sanctions

 - the operation of the Standards Board’s revised strategic role to provide supervision, support and guidance for the regime

 - other matters such as the rules on the granting of dispensations, the granting of exemptions of posts from political restrictions and the pay of local authority political assistants   

The deadline for responses is 15 February 2008. 

A copy of the consultation paper is attached (4).  The Committee’s attention is drawn to Annex A of the document which provides a summary of the questions put forward for response.    

5.          Local Filter for Code of Conduct Complaints

In Bulletin 36 issued in December 2007, the Standards Board for England published a checklist for local authorities prior to the implementation of new regulations relating to local determinations in April 2008. 

The checklist provides comments on the issues listed below and sets out a number of effective practice recommendations relating to:     

a)          Size of Standards Committees

b)          Structure of Standards Committees

c)          Training

d)          Local assessment criteria

e)          Role of the Monitoring Officer in the new framework

f)           Completing existing investigations

g)          Local assessment and the corporate complaints process

h)          Future monitoring by the Standards Board

i)           Local assessment guidance

The Committee is invited to consider the attached paper (5), identifying any implications for the Borough Council as a result of the proposals outlined and, if appropriate, to make recommendations to Council to address those implications.  

6.          Date of Next Meeting

4^th March 2008

NOTE:

In accordance with the Health and Safety at Work Act the Council is required to notify those attending meetings of the fire evacuation procedures.  A copy has previously been circulated to Members and instructions are located in all rooms within the Civic Suite.