Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 22 June 2015.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 22 June 2015 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.

No declarations of interest were made.

Members of the public are invited to put questions to the Chair of the Committee 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 prior to the commencement of the meeting on the cards provided. You can also submit via the Council’s website at www.stockport.gov.uk/publicquestions.

No public questions were submitted.

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

No urgent decisions were reported.

To consider a report of the Monitoring Officer.

The Standards Committee is invited to comment on proposed changes to Article 11 within the Constitution in relation to the Standards Committee. The Committee at its last meeting on 22 June 2015 fully supported refresher training being provided in relation to ‘Standards’ to all Councillors to ensure that they are aware of:

• The complaints process
• The resources involved in investigating a complaint
• Issues relating to the use of social media

and requested that the Member Learning and Development Committee be informed of this Committee’s views.

The Committee is invited to comment on the proposed changes.

Officer contact: Craig Ainsworth, Tel: 0161 474 3204,  or email craig.ainsworth@stockport.gov.uk

The Monitoring Officer submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) inviting the Committee to comment on proposed changes to Article 11 within the Constitution in relation to the Standards Committee. The Committee at its last meeting on 22 June 2015 fully supported refresher training being provided in relation to ‘Standards’ to all Councillors to ensure that they are aware of:

• The complaints process

• The resources involved in investigating a complaint

• Issues relating to the use of social media

and requested that the Member Learning and Development Committee be informed of this Committee’s views

The following comments were made/issues raised (proposed changes in bold):-

·         Paragraph 10.1 “Composition” (a) “General”     

o   the first sentence be amended to read “TheStandards Committee and the Standards Sub-Committee will becomposed of the following members:-“

o   Point “iii)” is deleted.

·         Paragraph 10.1 “Composition” (b) “Chair and Vice Chair” the paragraph is amended to read “The Chair and Vice-Chair will be elected at the first meeting of the municipal year for a period up to the Council’s Annual Meeting and should be one of the Independent Members. The Chair of the Standards Sub-Committee should also be one of the Independent Members.”

·         Paragraph 10.9 “Quorum” be amended to read “The quorum for meetings of the Standards Committee or a sub-committee of the Standards Committee shall be 4 members including at least 1 independent member and 3 councillors. Where at least 1 independent member or councillor would have been present but for the fact that he or she has a prejudicial interest in the business to be transacted the quorum for the meeting shall be any 3 members.”

·         Paragraph 10.10 “Sub Committee”, the first sentence of the second paragraph be deleted so it reads “Substitutes will be permitted in the same way as for the Standards Committee”

RESOLVED – That subject to the above suggested amendments; this Committee would support the proposed changes to Article 11 within the Constitution in relation to the Standards Committee.