Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Sara Mildmay-White.

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

The following substitution was declared:

Councillor Andrew Smith substituting for Councillor Sara Mildmay-White

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 26 June 2023 (copy attached.)

The minutes of the meeting held on 26 June 2023 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

Members are reminded of their responsibility to declare any pecuniary or local non pecuniary interest which they have in any item of business on the agenda, no later than when that item is reached and, when appropriate, to leave the meeting prior to discussion and voting on the item.

There were no declarations of interest made.

Members of the public who live or work in the District are welcome to speak and may ask one question or make a statement of not more than three minutes duration relating to items to be discussed in Part 1 of the agenda only.  If a question is asked and answered within three minutes, the person who asked the question may ask a supplementary question that arises from the reply.

A person who wishes to speak must register at least 15 minutes before the time the meeting is scheduled to start.

There is an overall limit of 15 minutes for public speaking, which may be extended at the Chair’s discretion.

There were no questions/statements from members of the public.

Report No: STC/WS/24/001

The Committee was reminded that on 22 March 2022 West Suffolk Council adopted the Local Government Association Model Code of Conduct as its new Local Code of Conduct for Councillors.

The current Standards Procedures and Standards Committee Procedure were adopted on 15 July 2019. Accordingly, the Monitoring Officer, having noted the LGA Guidance, considered that there was scope to amend the Standards Procedures and Standards Committee Procedure to ensure they continued to meet the principles of fairness, proportionality, transparency and impartiality.

Proposed amendments to the two procedures were set out in Report No STC/WS/24/001, together with a supplementary paper which outlined the changes to the Standards Procedures by way of tracked changes, for ease of reference by Members.

During discussion some of the Committee raised questions in relation to the complaints process which the Monitoring Officer responded to.

Members were also requested to bring the changes into effect in respect of both procedures from 1 April 2024, in order to enable any ongoing investigations to be concluded in line with the current procedures.

It was moved by Councillor John Augustine, seconded by Councillor Julia Wakelam and with the vote being unanimous it was

RESOLVED

That the proposed amendments to the West Suffolk Council Standards Procedures and Standards Committee Procedure be approved, to come into effect from 1 April 2024.