Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillor Towsey-Hinton.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the above meeting, having been circulated, be approved as a correct record.

By way of update to minute 7, the Monitoring Officer reported that a reply had been received from the relevant Group Leader in respect of the outstanding query.

None.

Report of the Monitoring Officer

Councillor Murray joined the meeting.

The Monitoring Officer introduced a report, which had been circulated in advance of the meeting, presenting the outcome of the consultation on the review of the Council‘s Code of Conduct for Members.

RESOLVED to:

1)    Note the responses to the consultation with the public and stakeholders on the Council’s Code of Conduct;

2)    Recommend to Council that no changes be made to the Council’s Code of Conduct at Appendix 2 to the report; and

3)    Agree that a guidance document be prepared by the Monitoring Officer to accompany the Council’s Code of Conduct.

Report of the Monitoring Officer.

The Monitoring Officer introduced a report, which had been circulated in advance of the meeting, seeking approval to recruit to the vacant Reserve Independent Person role.

It was clarified that the term of office for the Reserve Independent Person would be two and a half years. This would be in line with best practice and give a useful overlap with the term of office for the current Independent Person.

RESOLVED to:

1)    Approve the commencement of a recruitment exercise to the role of Reserve Independent Person as detailed in the report and that the term of appointment shall be for two and half years;

2)    Note that the Interview Panel, as detailed in the report, will consist of Councillors Boyle, Bosworth and Elliott; and

3)    Delegate authority to the Monitoring Officer, in consultation with the Chair, to appoint alternative members to the Interview Panel should appointed members be unavailable.

Report of the Monitoring Officer.

The Monitoring Officer introduced a report, which had been circulated in advance of the meeting, which proposed recommending to Council that Martyn Thorpe, Councillor for St Albans Parish Council should be co-opted on to the Standards Committee to fill the vacant post of co-opted parish representative.

Councillor Payne pointed out that he has worked closely in the past with Councillor Martin Thorpe as St Albans Parish Council is in his own County Division. He added that this was not a formal declaration of interest but included on the minutes for transparency.

RESOLVED to:

1)    Recommend to Council that Martyn Thorpe, Councillor for St Albans Parish Council should be co-opted on to the Standards Committee to fill the vacant post of co-opted parish representative until the next annual meeting; and

2)    Delegate authority to the interview panel to review the appointment prior to the next annual meeting and recommend to Council whether the co-option should continue.

Report of the Monitoring Officer.

The Monitoring Officer introduced a report, which had been circulated in advance of the meeting, informing members of complaints received between 10 June 2021 and 2 September 2021.

RESOLVED:

To note the report.

None.