Meeting documents

Standards Sub-Committee
Tuesday, 24th April, 2018

Agendas, Minutes and Reports

 

 


P Chris Blades

P Andy Cole

P Jill Iles

 

 

 

P: Present

A: Apologies for absence submitted

 

Also present (co-opted, non-voting): Nick Carter-Brown (Independent Lay Person), Bill Bearsby (Independent Parish Councillor)

 

Officers in attendance: Sara Saunders (Solicitor, Corporate Services Directorate), Julia Parkes (Corporate Services Directorate)

 

SSC

13

Election of Chairman for the Meeting (Agenda item1)

Resolved: that Councillor Iles be elected Chairman for the meeting

 

(Councillor Iles in the Chair)

 

SSC

14

Declaration of Disclosable Pecuniary Interest (Standing Order 37) (Agenda Item 3)

None

 

SSC

15

Minutes of the Meeting held on 23 October 2017 (Agenda Item 4)

Resolved: that the minutes of the meeting be approved as a correct record.

 

SSC

16

Exclusion of Press and Public

Resolved: that the press, public and officers not required by the members or officers advising to remain during the exempt session be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item of business on the grounds that its consideration will involve the disclosure of exempt information as defined in Section 1001 of the Local Government Act 1972.

 

Minute no. SSC 16 Reason for the Exemption

Paragraphs 1 and 2 of Part 1 of the Local Government Act 1972

 

 

SSC

17

Complaint against a Town Councillor (05/2017) (Agenda Item 5)

The Sub-Committee considered a complaint received from a town council clerk regarding a Town Councillor stating that he had breached the Portishead Town Council Code of Conduct applicable to councillors.

 

The Deputy Monitoring Officer outlined the complaint.

The Sub-Committee considered the complaint, together with the response from the Councillor concerned and received the views of the Independent Lay Person and Independent Parish Councillor.

 

In considering the key issues, the Sub-Committee considered that the Councillors actions had not breached the Code of Conduct.

 

Resolved:

 

(1) that the Sub-Committee finds that the Councillors conduct did not breach the Code of Conduct and no further action is needed; and

 

(2) that the Deputy Monitoring Officer write to the complainant giving reasons for the decision.

 

 

The Independent Parish Councillor left the meeting.

 

SSC

18

Complaint against a North Somerset Councillor (06/2017) (Agenda Item 6)

The Sub-Committee considered a complaint made by a North Somerset Councillor regarding another North Somerset Councillor stating that he had breached the North Somerset Code of Conduct applicable to councillors

 

The Deputy Monitoring Officer outlined the complaint.

The Sub-Committee considered the complaint, together with the response from the Councillor concerned and received the views of the Independent Lay Person.

 

In considering the key issues, the Sub-Committee considered that the Councillors actions had breached the Code of Conduct, in particular; to promote and support high standards of conduct when serving in their public post and also should not behave improperly and should on all occasions avoid the appearance of such behaviour.

 

Resolved:

 

(1) that the Sub-Committee finds that the Councillors conduct breached the Code of Conduct and recommended that with the agreement of the complainant, mediation and training should be offered;

 

(2) if this should not be accepted by the North Somerset Councillor, he should be asked to make a public apology at the next full Council meeting to the Council; and

 

(3) that the Deputy Monitoring Officer write to the complainant advising of the decision.

 

 

 

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Chairman

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