Philip McCourt, Director of Law and Governance and Monitoring Officer introduced his report that requested that the Constitution and Standards Committee formally establish a Standards Panel and Standards Appeal Panel in accordance with the Council’s Constitution (Part 2, Article 8), paragraph 14.3 of Part 3B Responsibility for Functions, and the Protocol for Dealing with Complaints against Members.

The Chair questioned the Director of Law and Governance on the composition and size of the Standards Panel, and the Director informed that generally such a Panel would comprise between 3 and 5 members, which allowed for stand-ins / deputies dependent upon the complaints under consideration. He added that similar provisions were established for licencing panels and that names (in a priority order) from each political group could be provided subsequent to the meeting.

RESOLVED - That

(1) a Standards Panel and Standards Appeal Panel be formally established pursuant to paragraph 14.3 of Part 3B Responsibility for Functions of the Council’s Constitution;

(2) each political group through their Group Leader/Deputy Group Leader or Party Spokesperson confirm the names of the Members who shall be their representative members on the Standards Panel and Standards Appeal Panel to the Director – Law and Governance / Monitoring Officer at the earliest opportunity; and

(3) where a representative Member, proposed / confirmed under (2) above, is unavailable to attend a proposed meeting of the Standards Panel or Standards Appeal Panel but that meeting can be attended by all other persons required, then the relevant political group through their Group Leader / Deputy Group Leader or Party Spokesperson shall promptly confirm another representative member who is able to attend that meeting.