Agenda and minutes

Resolved: that Councillor Tonkin be elected Chairman for the meeting.

Councillor Tonkin in the Chair

A Member must declare any disclosable pecuniary interest where it relates to any matter being considered at the meeting. A declaration of a disclosable pecuniary interest should indicate the interest and the agenda item to which it relates. A Member is not permitted to participate in this agenda item by law and should immediately leave the meeting before the start of any debate.

If the Member leaves the meeting in respect of a declaration, he or she should ensure that the Chairperson is aware of this before he or she leaves to enable their exit from the meeting to be recorded in the minutes in accordance with Standing Order 37.

None

Minutes 6 September 2022 (for information).

The minutes of the meeting of the Standards Sub Committee held on 6 September 2022 were noted, for information.

The Sub-Committee will be invited to pass the following resolution:

“(1)      That the press, public, and officers not required by the Members, the Chief Executive or the Director, to remain during the exempt session, be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item of business on the ground that its consideration will involve the disclosure of exempt information as defined in Section 100I of the Local Government Act 1972, by virtue of paragraphs 1 and 2 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act”

Also, if appropriate, the following resolution should be passed –

“(2)      That members of the Council who are not members of this Sub-Committee be invited to remain.”

The Sub-Committee was invited to pass the following resolution:

“(1)      That the press, public, and officers not required by the Members, the Chief Executive or the Director, to remain during the exempt session, be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item of business on the ground that its consideration will involve the disclosure of exempt information as defined in Section 100I of the Local Government Act 1972, by virtue of paragraphs 1 and 2 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act”

Also, if appropriate, the following resolution should be passed –

“(2)      That members of the Council who are not members of this Sub-Committee be invited to remain.”

Resolved: that the resolutions be passed.

Item                             Reason for Exemption

Minute No.                  Paragraphs 1 & 2 of Schedule 12A of the Local

STD 13                        Government Act 1972

Report of Deputy Monitoring Officer

Sara Saunders, Deputy Monitoring Officer, outlined the complaints and then responded to questions from the Sub-Committee.

The Sub-Committee considered the complaints, together with the additional information/responses from the Councillors concerned, and received the views of the Independent Town Councillor and the Independent Member.

After much deliberation, the Sub-Committee

Resolved: that:

(1) there have been breaches of the Clevedon Town Council Code of Conduct

(2) a report of the Sub Committee’s Notice of Decision to be made public;

(3)  that the Deputy Monitoring Officer write to the Town Councillors, the Acting Town Clerk and the complainants advising of the decision.

It was noted that the New Model Councillor Code of Conduct and Guidance had been approved at the Council meeting on 10 January 2023.