Agenda and minutes

To elect a temporary Chairman for the meeting.

Councillor Wildey was elected as Chairman for the meeting.

Apologies for absence were received on behalf of Councillors Carr, Mrs Diane Chambers, Godwin, Hicks, Kemp and Wicks.

To approve the record of the meeting held on 8 November 2017.

This item was deferred.

The Chairman will announce any late items which do not appear on the main agenda but which he/she has agreed should be considered by reason of special circumstances to be specified in the report. 

There were none.

Members are invited to disclose any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests or Other Significant Interests in accordance with the Member Code of Conduct.  Guidance on this is set out in agenda item 4.

Disclosable pecuniary interests

There were none.

Other significant interests

There were none.

Other interests

Councillor Gulvin stated that he considered that he was able to participate in the consideration of agenda item 7 (Screening of Complaint CCC 2018/001) having concluded that his relationship with the Members subject to the complaints did not amount to an Other Significant Interest (OSI) as defined in paragraph 12 of the Members’ Code of Conduct.

Councillor Wildey stated that he considered that he was able to participate in the consideration of agenda item 7 (Screening of Complaint CCC 2018/001) having concluded that his relationship with a particular Member subject to a complaint did not amount to an Other Significant Interest (OSI) as defined in paragraph 12 of the Members’ Code of Conduct.

This report summarises the content of agenda item 7, which, in the opinion of the proper officer, contains exempt information within one of the categories in Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972. It is a matter for the Committee to determine whether the press and public should be excluded from the meeting during consideration of documents. 

Decision:

That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the exempt material relating to agenda item 7 because consideration of these matters in public would disclose information falling within paragraphs 1 and 2 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 as specified in agenda item 6,and, in all the circumstances of the case, the Committee considered that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information. 

The Committee is requested to consider complaints relating to Councillor conduct.

Discussion:

The Monitoring Officer introduced a report which detailed complaints received on 21 December 2017, 22 January 2018, 30 January 2018, 31 January 2018 and 13 February 2018 relating to six Medway Councillors. The complaints were split into six allegations and the Committee considered each allegation individually, as set out in section 3 of the report.

Decision:

a)    The Committee agreed to take no further action in relation to complaint CCC 2018/001, as detailed in paragraph 3.1 and section 4 of the report, as having completed the Medway Council screening process test, the Committee considered that the complaint was not capable of being resolved by an investigation, bearing in mind the sanctions available.

b)    The Committee agreed to take no further action in relation to complaint CCC 2018/001, as detailed in paragraph 3.2 and section 5 of the report, as having completed the Medway Council screening process test, the Committee considered that the complaint was not capable of being resolved by an investigation, bearing in mind the sanctions available.

c)    The Committee agreed to take no further action in relation to complaint CCC 2018/001, as detailed in paragraph 3.3 and section 6 of the report, as having completed the Medway Council screening process test, the Committee considered that the complaint was not capable of being resolved by an investigation, bearing in mind the sanctions available.

d)    The Committee agreed to take no further action in relation to complaint CCC 2018/001, as detailed in paragraph 3.4 and section 7 of the report, as having completed the Medway Council screening process test, the Committee considered that there was insufficient evidence, on the face of the complaint, to demonstrate a potential breach of the Member Code of Conduct.

e)    The Committee agreed to take no further action in relation to complaint CCC 2018/001, as detailed in paragraphs 3.5-3.7 and section 8 of the report, as having completed the Medway Council screening process test, the Committee considered that there was insufficient evidence, on the face of the complaint, to demonstrate a potential breach of the Member Code of Conduct.

f)     The Committee agreed to refer complaint CCC 2018/001, as detailed in paragraphs 3.5-3.7 and section 9 of the report, for investigation, as having completed the Medway Council screening process test, the Committee considered it would not be disproportionate to investigate.