The Localism Act 2011 requires Oxford City Council to appoint one or more Independent Persons to assist the Monitoring Officer in dealing with complaints about councillors’ standards of behaviour and alleged breaches of the Members’ Code of Conduct. 

In addition, The Local Authorities Regulations 2015 require the Council to invite relevant Independent Persons to join the Investigation and Disciplinary Committee to consider evidence and provide advice on the course of action to follow whenever there is the prospect of dismissal of a statutory officer of the Council (these are the Chief Executive, Chief Finance Officer and Monitoring Officer).

Council will be asked to approve the appointment of up to four Independent Persons for a period of five years to July 2024.

Council considered a report of the Monitoring Officer asking for authorisation to extend the terms of office of the council’s independent persons for a further three months to 31 October 2019.

Councillor Aziz, the Chair of the Standards Committee, presented the report and moved the recommendations, which were agreed on being seconded and put to the vote.

Council resolved to authorise the Monitoring Officer to extend the terms of office of the Council’s Independent Persons for a further three months to 31 October 2019.