Purpose of report:

To advise the Committee of:

1.     the number of complaints received under the Members’ Code of Conduct which have been, or are to be, considered by the Head of Law and Governance (in her statutory capacity as the authority’s Monitoring Officer) and the Independent Persons. The report also notes the outcome, where complaints have been concluded; and

2.     the number of dispensations to an individual member, granted under Section 33 of the 2011 Localism Act, by the Monitoring Officer, following consultation with an Independent Person.

Recommendation:

That the Standards Committee notes the content of the report and the learning point identified.

The Monitoring Officer introduced the report. There had been no complaints that councillors had breached the Members’ Code of Conduct in the period covered by the report.

The Monitoring Officer drew the Committee’s attention to the one dispensation that had been granted to an individual councillor. In the circumstances set out in paragraphs 8-14 of the report it had only been possible to consult with an Independent Person after the event. The Independent Person had retrospectively agreed with the steps taken by the Monitoring Officer and the granting of the dispensation. The Independent Person had also said they would have been more concerned if in requesting an individual dispensation a councillor was seeking to influence the outcome or garner favour, which had not been the case here.

In discussion the Committee noted that:

·         There is a need for clear guidance for councillors who are landlords or tenants if and when the matter of selective licensing comes before councillors again because councillors’ individual property interests would stand to be impacted by any future decisions on a scheme.

·         Where a councillor does not follow the advice of the Monitoring Officer in respect of councillors’ interests this can create uncertainty for other councillors.

·         This had been the first request for an individual dispensation within the last two years.

·         The process for agreeing individual dispensations did not fit well with the circumstances of this case in practice. This should be subject to further consideration in the next review of the Council’s Constitution.

·         All councillors must declare their property interests within the city in their Register of Interests and keep their Register of Interests up to date.

The Committee resolved to note the content of the report and the learning point identified.