Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies for absence.

Councillor Roger Dicker was unable to attend the meeting.

The Member who is substituting for another Member should so indicate together with the name of the relevant absent Member.

There were no substitutes at the meeting.

Members of the public are invited to put questions/statements of not more than 3  minutes duration relating to items to be discussed in Part 1 of the agenda only.

Agenda Item 4. – Minutes of the meeting held on 15 December 2014

Mrs Sara Beckett addressed the Joint Committee with regard to the minutes of the last meeting (15 December 2014) which were attached to the agenda as Item 4.

She drew attention to Minute No 8 which concerned Members’ consideration of exempt Report No JST/JT/14/002.  The report in question set out the findings of the Investigating Officer and the Independent Person following a Code of Conduct Investigation.

Mrs Beckett advised those present that she had been the complainant, whom the Joint Committee had resolved to receive a written apology.  However, she was yet to have received this apology from the Member in question.

In light of the outstanding apology, the Monitoring Officer advised Mrs Beckett that the Chairman and herself had produced a letter for the Member requesting in the strongest possible terms that they comply the resolution of the Joint Committee and issue a written apology to Mrs Beckett.  The Chairman read out the content of this letter to the meeting.

The Monitoring Officer explained that the Localism Act had very much curtailed the powers of the Joint Committee.  However, she suggested that a way forward could be for Mrs Beckett to consider making another formal complaint.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 15 December 2014 (copy attached).

On consideration of the minutes of the meeting held on 15 December 2014 Councillor Carol Lynch raised concern that the recommendation in respect of Minute No 8 (exempt Report No JST/JT/14/002) did not specifically state that the resolution was made having considered the report of the Independent Person. 

She proposed that an amendment be made to the minute to reflect this and this was duly seconded.

With 4 voting for the motion and with 1 against, the minutes of 15 December 2014 were accepted as an accurate record and were signed by the Chairman, subject to the following amendment being made:

8.       Report of Code of Conduct Investigation (Exempt – para 1)      (Report No: JST/JT/14/002)

                   RESOLVED:

That, having considered the report of the Independent Person, the Committee found that there had been a breach of Paragraph 1 of the Code of Conduct and that the sanction imposed be that the Member be asked to submit a written apology to the complainant.

It was also agreed that the wording of the apology did not need the prior approval of the Chairman and the Monitoring Officer.

Such other business which, in the opinion of the Chairman, should be considered as a matter of urgency to be specified in the minutes.

There were no items of Urgent Business raised.

To consider whether the press and public should be excluded during the consideration of the following items of business because it is likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the public were present during the items there would be disclosure to them of exempt categories of information as prescribed in Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, and indicated against each item and, in all circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

With the vote being unanimous, it was

          RESOLVED:

That, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as prescribed in Part 1 Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 and indicated against each item.

Report No: JST/JT/15/001

(This item is to be considered under Paragraph 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, as it contains information relating to an individual(s) and information which is likely to reveal the identity of an individual)

The Monitoring Officer presented this report which requested that the Joint Committee consider whether there had been a breach of the Code of Conduct in this case and, if so, what sanction to impose.

Members considered the report of the Investigating Officer and the report of the Independent Person together with all supporting documentation.

Councillor Jim Thorndyke, who was present at the meeting at which the complaints referred to, also spoke on the matter and offered his opinion.

The Joint Committee were of the opinion that there had been a breach of Paragraph 1 of the Code of Conduct, however, in light of the Member in question having already apologised and resigned from the membership of the Committee at which the incident took place that no further action was required.

With the vote being unanimous, it was

          RESOLVED:

That, having considered the report of the Independent Person, the Committee found that there had been a breach of Paragraph 1 of the Code of Conduct but that no sanction be imposed beyond the action already taken by the Member.

It was also agreed that no letter would be sent to the Member other than the outcome of investigation letter sent by the Monitoring Officer.