Issue - meetings

This sets out the Monitoring Officer’s Annual Report for the period April 2010 to March 2011. This report gives an update on Member Conduct issues, and the work of the Standards Committee and the Monitoring Officer.

Discussion:

This report contained the Monitoring Officer’s Annual Report for the period April 2010 to March 2011, which gave an update on Member conduct issues, and the work of the Standards Committee and the Monitoring officer.

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Rodney Chambers, supported by Councillor Jarrett, proposed the recommendation contained in the report.

Decision: 

The Council noted the report and comments from the Standards Committee.

This is the Monitoring Officer’s Annual Report for the period April 2010 – March 2011. This report gives an update on Member Conduct issues and the work of the Standards Committee and the Monitoring Officer. 

Discussion:

The Monitoring Officer introduced the report highlighting that 18 complaints had been received in the reporting year of 1 April 2010 to 31 March 2011 and in the same period investigations had amounted to a cost of £29,964.61, which averaged out at approximately £3,500 per case, which was cheaper than the estimated cost per case by Standards for England.

During the debate on the report it was confirmed that of the complaints received relating to Parish Councillors, with the exception of one, all related to Allhallows Parish Council.

The Committee also raised concern about the expenditure of independent investigations, which had risen significantly from previous years and it was felt that all Members should be made aware of this.  In response the Monitoring Officer confirmed that investigations could not be carried out internally due to the lack of capacity for internal staff to carry out the work.  She also advised that the budget allocated for such costs was not overspent.  In addition it was advised that wherever possible situations are dealt with internally and informally but that not all complainants were happy with this as an approach.

Decision: 

The Committee noted the report and agreed that it be forwarded to full Council with the Committee’s comments.