Members are asked to consider whether they have personal or prejudicial interests in connection with any item(s) on this agenda and, if so, to declare them and state what they are.

No declarations of interest were received.

To confirm the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 26 January 2012

as a correct record.

RESOLVED:

That the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 26 January 2012 be confirmed as a correct record.

The Committee considered an updated summary of complaints made against Wirral Councillors where it had been alleged that the Council Members’ Code of Conduct had been breached.  Members noted the detail of these complaints.  A total of five complaints were still in the process of being dealt with and Members received a progress report on each of them.

RESOLVED:

That the updated summary of standards complaints and progress being made be noted.

The Committee, at its meeting on 26 January 2012, had received a report that had updated it on the implications of the Localism Act on the current Standards Regime.  Consequently, it had established a Working Group to explore, examine and develop a draft framework and such options, procedures, arrangements it considered necessary to enable the Council to discharge its duties and obligations under the Localism Act 2011 in relation to the Standards Regime from 1 July 2012. 

The Director of Law, HR and Asset Management had been requested to update the Members’ Code of Conduct as a starting point for the development of a new framework for the Standards Regime and to include the use and review of the existing Members’ Code of Conduct and written arrangements as the basis of any proposed changes (if required).  (Minute No. 18 refers.)

It was reported that the Working Group had met twice, on 1 and 28 March 2012, and had discussed the Council’s requirements for a new Standards Regime and a Councillor Complaints procedure in great detail.  This had then culminated in a report presented to the Committee by the Director of Law, HR and Asset Management which sought its approval and onward recommendation to the Council in relation to:

(a)  changes to the Article 9 (Terms of Reference of the Standards Committee (and its Panels)) of the Council’s Constitution set out at Appendix 1 to the report;

(b)  the draft Members’ Code of Conduct set out at Appendix 2 to the report;

(c)  the draft Protocol: Arrangements for Investigating and Making Decisions in relation to allegations made under the Members’ Code of Conduct set out in Appendix 3 to the report;

(d)   the draft Complaint Form to be used in relation to complaints relating to the Members’ Code of Conduct set out at Appendix 4 to the report; and

(e)  authorising the Monitoring Officer to make arrangement to enable the Council to appoint ‘Independent Persons’ to support the effective administration of standards complaints and decisions, in accordance with the requirements of the Localism Act 2011.

The Committee noted that if it was minded to agree the proposed changes to the Terms of Reference of the Standards Committee (and its Panels) and the draft Members’ Code of Conduct, included with the report, then the Council’s approval would be required, in accordance with the Constitution.

Mr Ken Harrison acknowledged the hard work that had been undertaken by Members of the Working Group they had worked very well together on this important piece of work.  He made reference to the thoroughness of the Director’s report and congratulated the Members of the Working Party on all that they had been able to achieve in such a short period of time.  Mr Harrison also acknowledged that the Head of Legal and Member Services also deserved credit for the work he had put into this important initiative.

It was noted that there would be a recruitment process to select the Independent Person(s) required under the Localism Act  ...  view the full minutes text for item 25.