The Executive considered proposed changes to Article 11 of the Constitution relating to the Standards Committee and then recommended to the Council meeting that it approve the changes to Constitution as set out in the report relating to the Standards Committee (Part 2 Article 11 and Part 3 Scheme of Delegation, Appendix 6), subject to the inclusion of the following within Article 11:-
“The Role of the Independent Member
Independent members provide an independent and impartial presence on the Standards Committee and make a real contribution to the fairness and integrity of the standards process.
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.
Independent Members will be treated as if non-voting Co-opted Members of the Authority for the duration of their membership of the Standards Committee.”