Agenda and minutes

To elect a Chair of the Committee for the period until the next Annual Council Meeting.

RESOLVED – That Mr Stephen Clarke be elected Chair of the Committee for the period until the next Annual Council Meeting.

To appoint a Vice-Chair of the Committee for the period until the next Annual Council Meeting.

RESOLVED – That Mr Kieran McMahon be appointed Vice-Chair of the Committee for the period until the next Annual Council Meeting.

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 18 November 2019.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 19 November 2019 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

Members and Officers to declare any interests which they have in any of the items on the agenda for the meeting.

Members were invited to declare any interests they had in any of the items on the agenda for the meeting.

The following interest was declared:-

Personal and Prejudicial Interest

To report any urgent action taken under the Constitution since the last meeting of the Committee.

No urgent decisions were reported.

Members of the public are invited to put questions to the Chair on any matters within the powers and duties of the Committee, subject to the exclusions set out in the Code of Practice.  (Questions must be submitted no later than prior to the commencement of the meeting on the card provided.  These are available at the meeting. You can also submit via the Council’s website at www.stockport.gov.uk/publicquestions)

No public questions were submitted.

To consider a report of the Monitoring Officer

The report sets out a proposed draft response to the recommendations from the Committee on Standards in Public Life in its January 2019 report on Local Government ethical standards which will be sent on behalf of the Council by the Chief Executive.

The Committee is requested to consider the proposed response and agree to it being sent and/or provide suggested amendments.

Officer Contact: Vicki Bates on 0161 474 32319 or email: vicki.bates@stockport.gov.uk

The Monitoring Officer submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) setting out a proposed draft response to the recommendations from the Committee on Standards in Public Life in its January 2019 report on Local Government Ethical Standards which would be sent on behalf of the Council by the Chief Executive.

RESOLVED – That minor amendments be made to the proposed response, circulated to Members of the Committee by email and then sent to the Committee on Standards in Public Life as the Council’s response to the recommendations from the Committee’s report.

To consider a report of the Monitoring Officer

The report sets out the Committee’s response to the LGA draft Model Code of Conduct dated 17 August 2020.

The Committee is recommended to note the report.

Officer Contact: Vicki Bates on 0161 474 3219 or email: vicki.bates@stockport.gov.uk

The Monitoring Officer submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) setting out the Committee’s response to the Local Government Association’s draft Model Code of Conduct dated 17 August 2020.

The Committee discussed the response which had been sent and felt that on occasions it would have liked to elaborate on individual questions, but was restricted by the nature of the consultation document.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted and the Monitoring Officer be requested to send a follow up letter to the Local Government Association elaborating on the Committee’s response.

To consider a report of the Monitoring Officer

The report updates the Committee on complaints received about the conduct of Members during the 2019/20 Municipal Year.

The Committee is recommended to note the report.

Officer Contact: Vicki Bates on 0161 474 3219 or email: vicki.bates@stockport.gov.uk

The Monitoring Officer submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) updating the Committee on complaints received about the conduct of Members during the 2019/20 Municipal Year.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.