Councillor Pressel had sent apologies.

Councillor Pressel sent apologies; Councillor Fry attended as subsitutute . 

None. 

Recommendation: That the Committee resolve to approve the minutes of the meeting held on 13 November 2025 as a true and accurate record.

The Committee approved the minutes of the meeting held on 13 November 2025 as a true and accurate record.  

Public addresses relating to matters of business for this agenda, up to five minutes is available for each public address.

The request to speak accompanied by the full text of the address must be received by the Director of Law, Governance and Strategy by 5.00 pm on Wednesday 11 March 2026.

None. 

Councillor addresses relating to matters of business for this agenda, up to five minutes is available for each address.

The request should be received by the Director of Law, Governance and Strategy by 5.00 pm on Wednesday 11 March 2026.

None. 

The Director of Law, Governance and Strategy (Monitoring Officer) had submitted a report to update the Standards Committee and to outline the requirement to recommend to full Council the Parish Council representative on the committee as a non-voting member. 

Recommendation(s): That the Standards Committee resolves to: 

·       Recommend?to Full Council to appoint Councillor David Newman of?Blackbird Leys Parish Council as the?co-opted, non-voting?member of the Standards Committee?representing?the four Parish Councils in Oxford?until May 2026.? 

The Standards Committee resolved to: 

• Recommend?to Full Council to appoint Councillor David Newman of?Blackbird Leys Parish Council as the?co-opted, non-voting?member of the Standards Committee?representing?the four Parish Councils in Oxford?until May 2027. 

The Director of Law, Governance and Strategy (Monitoring Officer) had submitted a report to outline the requirement to recommend to full Council the Parish Council representative on the committee as a non-voting member. 

The Committee and Member Services Manager clarified that, if appointed, the nominee would remain in post until May 2027, not 2026 as noted in the report. The Committee understood that after contacting all four Parish Councils in Oxford City, this was the nomination put forward.  

Councilor Harley queried the phrasing in paragraph 9 of the report; the Chair noted that it is the Committee’s choice as to whether they wish to appoint the nominee, however given this was the will of all four Parish Councils, it would be unusual for the Committee to deviate from this.   

The Chair sought to clarify whether the appointment would be made until May 2027 as this is when the nominee’s term in office ends; the Committee and Member Services Manager confirmed this. 

On being put to a vote, all Members of the Committee voted in favour of the recommendation.  

The Standards Committee resolved to: 

• Recommend?to Full Council to appoint Councillor David Newman of?Blackbird Leys Parish Council as the?co-opted, non-voting?member of the Standards Committee?representing?the four Parish Councils in Oxford?until May 2027. 

The Director of Law, Governance and Strategy (Monitoring Officer) had submitted a report to update the Standards Committee on the Government’s response to the consultation for Remote Meetings and Proxy Voting for Local Government Committees. 

Recommendation(s): That the Standards Committee resolves to: 

·       Note the Government’s response to the consultation for Remote Meetings and Proxy Voting for Local Government Committees. 

The Director of Law, Governance and Strategy (Monitoring Officer) had submitted a report to update the Standards Committee on the Government’s response to the consultation for Remote Meetings and Proxy Voting for Local Government Committees.  

The Chair requested questions or comments from the Committee; there were none.  

The Standards Committee noted the Government’s response to the consultation for Remote Meetings and Proxy Voting for Local Government Committees. 

The Director of Law, Governance and Strategy (Monitoring Officer) had submitted a report to update the Committee on the Government’s response to Strengthening the standards and conduct framework for local authorities in England.

Recommendation(s): That the Standards Committee resolves to: 

·       Note the Government’s response to the consultation for Strengthening the standards and conduct framework for local authorities in England. 

The Director of Law, Governance and Strategy (Monitoring Officer) had submitted a report to update the Committee on the Government’s response to Strengthening the standards and conduct framework for local authorities in England.  

The Chair noted that there would be future actions in relation to this report once decisions are made by the Government. 

The Chair requested questions or comments from the Committee; there were none.  

The Standards Committee noted the Government’s response to the consultation for Strengthening the standards and conduct framework for local authorities in England. 

The Director of Law, Governance and Strategy (Monitoring Officer) had submitted a report to inform the Committee of the progress in implementing the best practice recommendations of the Committee on Standards in Public Life report on Local Government Ethical Standards. 

Recommendation(s): That the Standards Committee resolves to: 

·       Note the progress made by the Council listed within the report.  

The Director of Law, Governance and Strategy (Monitoring Officer) had submitted a report to inform the Committee of the progress in implementing the best practice recommendations of the Committee on Standards in Public Life report on Local Government Ethical Standards. 

The Chair requested questions or comments from the Committee; there were none.  

The Standards Committee noted the progress made by the Council listed within the report. 

The Director of Law, Governance and Strategy (Monitoring Officer) to set out the proposal that the Committee approve the general dispensation as set out at section 2 of the report for a period of four years.  

Recommendation(s): That the Standards Committee resolves to: 

·       Approve, under Section 33 of the Localism Act 2011, the general dispensations for all elected and co-opted Members of Oxford City Council to remain in force for a period of four years from 1 October 2026 to 30 September 2030.

The Standards Committee resolved to: 

• Approve, under Section 33 of the Localism Act 2011, the general dispensations for all elected and co-opted Members of Oxford City Council to remain in force for a period of four years from 1 October 2026 to 30 September 2030. 

The Director of Law, Governance and Strategy (Monitoring Officer) had submitted a report to set out the proposal that the Committee approve the general dispensation as set out at section 2 of the report for a period of four years.  

The Chair requested questions or comments from the Committee; there were none.  

On being put to a vote, all Members of the Committee voted in favour of the recommendation.  

The Standards Committee resolved to: 

• Approve, under Section 33 of the Localism Act 2011, the general dispensations for all elected and co-opted Members of Oxford City Council to remain in force for a period of four years from 1 October 2026 to 30 September 2030. 

The Director of Law, Governance and Strategy (Monitoring Officer) had submitted a report to advise the Committee of: 

·       The number and status of complaints received under the Members’ Code of Conduct which have been, or are to be, considered by the Director of Law, Governance and Strategy (in her statutory capacity as the authority’s Monitoring Officer) in consultation with one of the Council’s Independent Persons.  

·       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(s): That the Standards Committee resolves to: 

·       Note the updates to the Code of Conduct complaints received by the Monitoring Officer since the previous committee. 

The Director of Law, Governance and Strategy (Monitoring Officer) had submitted a report to advise the Committee of: 

• The number and status of complaints received under the Members’ Code of Conduct which have been, or are to be, considered by the Director of Law, Governance and Strategy (in her statutory capacity as the authority’s Monitoring Officer) in consultation with one of the Council’s Independent Persons 

• 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.  

The Chair requested questions or comments from the Committee; there were none.  

The Standards Committee noted the updates to the Code of Conduct complaints received by the Monitoring Officer since the previous committee. 

The Director of Law, Governance and Strategy (Monitoring Officer) had submitted a report to update the Standards Committee on the delivery of Member training from November 2026 to February 2026.

Recommendation(s): That the Standards Committee resolves to: 

·       Note the updates to the Councillors training since the previous committee.

The Director of Law, Governance and Strategy (Monitoring Officer) had submitted a report to update the Standards Committee on the delivery of Member training from November 2026 to February 2026.  

The Chair requested questions or comments from the Committee; there were none.  

The Standards Committee noted the updates to the Councillors’ training since the previous committee. 

The Committee is scheduled to meet on the following dates:

·       4 June 2026

·       8 October 2026

The Committee noted the dates of future meetings.