Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Brake, Kemp, Peake and Pearce.

To approve the record of the meeting held on 22 January 2025.

The record of the meeting held on 22 January 2025 was agreed by the Committee and signed by the Chairperson as correct.

The Chairperson 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 (OSIs)

There were none.

Other interests

Councillor Myton explained that in the correspondence that had been shared as part of the complaint there was reference to the MP for Rochester and Strood, with whom he was closely associated with. However, as the complaint itself did not relate to the MP, nor was the reference a key part to the complaint, he was able to remain in the Committee for the discussion and decision relating to the complaint.

This report summarises the content of agenda item 6, 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. 

That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the exempt material relating to agenda item 6 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 5and, in all the circumstances of the case, the Committee considers that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information. 

To consider a complaint regarding the conduct of a Medway Councillor.

Discussion:

The Monitoring Officer introduced the report which set out the details of a complaint relating to the conduct of a Medway Councillor.  He explained that in his absence, the Deputy Monitoring Officer had undertaken initial screening as part of the authority delegated by the Committee to initially screen complaints and she had concluded that it was not appropriate for her, as Deputy Monitoring Officer, to determine that no further action be taken.  The matter had therefore been referred to the Committee.

The Committee considered the allegations, having regard to the complaint, as set out in and attached to the Committee report. The Committee’s assessment was undertaken with the Screening Process the Committee has adopted for this purpose.

The Committee determined that the allegations made in the complaint could potentially breach of the Member Code of Conduct.

Decision:

The Committee agreed to instruct the Monitoring Officer to conduct an investigation of complaint CCC/2025/003, the outcome of which would be reported to a future meeting of the Committee.