West Lancs logo

Agenda and minutes

Venue: Cabinet/Committee Room - 52 Derby Street, Ormskirk L39 2DF

Contact: Sue Griffiths 

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Mr Stuart Ibbs (Independent Person).

2.

Membership of the Committee

To be apprised of any changes to the membership of the Committee in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 4.  This rule should only apply to the Standards Committee in exceptional circumstances and if the nominated substitute has been appropriately trained.

Minutes:

There were no changes to membership of the Committee.

3.

Declarations of Interest pdf icon PDF 299 KB

If a Member requires advice on Declarations of Interest, he/she is advised to contact the Borough Solicitor in advance of the meeting.   (For the assistance of members a checklist for the use in considering their position on any particular item is included at the end of this agenda sheet).

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

4.

Urgent Business

Note: No other business is permitted unless, by reason of special circumstances, which shall be specified at the meeting, the Chairman is of the opinion that the item(s) should be considered as a matter of urgency.

Minutes:

There were no items of urgent business.

5.

Public Speaking pdf icon PDF 176 KB

Residents of West Lancashire, on giving notice, may address the meeting to make representations on any item on the agenda except where the public and press are to be excluded during consideration of the item.  The deadline for submission is 10.00am on Friday 13 September 2019.  A copy of the public speaking protocol and form to be completed is attached.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

There were no items under this Heading.

6.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 300 KB

To receive as a correct record the minutes of the last meeting of the Committee held on 19 March 2019.

Minutes:

RESOLVED              That the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 19 March 2019 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

7.

Complaints Statistics pdf icon PDF 29 KB

To consider the report of the Borough Solicitor

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered the complaints statistics for 2019/20 as set down at pages 11 – 18 of the Book of Reports. 

 

 

RESOLVED              That the Standards Complaints Statistics, attached at Appendix 1 to the report be noted

 

 

8.

Standards Committee- Annual Report 2018-2019 pdf icon PDF 267 KB

To consider the report of the Borough Solicitor

Minutes:

The Borough Solicitor presented the Standards Committee Annual Report as circulated and contained on pages 19 – 26 of the Book of Reports.

 

RESOLVED              That the Standards Committee Annual Report 2018/19 be noted, endorsed and published on the Council’s website.

 

 

9.

Annual Monitoring of Training Report pdf icon PDF 251 KB

To consider the report of the Borough Solicitor

Minutes:

Consideration was given to the report of the Borough Solicitor as circulated and contained on pages 27 – 32 of the Book of Reports which detailed training undertaken in 2018/18 and its effectiveness in relation to the Code of Conduct and standards.

 

 

RESOLVED              That the training undertaken and the evaluation of it be noted.

 

10.

National Review of Local Government Ethical Standards pdf icon PDF 146 KB

To consider the report of the Borough Solicitor

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Further to minute no. 19 of the last meeting of the Committee and contained on pages 33 - 155 of the Book of Reports, the Borough Solicitor referred to the best practice recommendations of the Committee on Standards in Public Life and outlined proposed actions in order to ensure that the Council continues to exemplify best practice in local ethical standards.

 

RESOLVED           That the best practice recommendations of the Committee on Standards in Public Life be noted and the actions as set out in Appendix B to the report be implemented. 

 

 

11.

Parish Council representation on Standards Committee pdf icon PDF 28 KB

To consider the report of the Borough Solicitor

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Consideration was given to the report of the Borough Solicitor as contained on pages 157 – 172 of the Book of Reports which proposed a procedure for the nomination and appointment of two Parish Council representatives to serve on the Standards Committee for a 3 year term of office.  It was reported also that the matter of remuneration of the Parish Council representatives would be considered as part of the Independent Remuneration Panel's considerations and reported to Budget Council in February 2020.

 

 

 

RESOLVED  A.      That the procedure for the nomination and appointment of two Parish Council representatives to serve on the Standards Committee for a 3 year term of office, attached at Appendix 1 to the report, be agreed.

 

                        B.      That the report be submitted to the next meeting of the Parish Clerks Liaison Committee for information.

12.

Work Programme pdf icon PDF 191 KB

Minutes:

Consideration was given to the Committee’s Work Programme as contained on page 173 of the Book of Reports.

 

 

RESOLVED  A.        That the Work Programme be noted.