Composition – Five elected borough councillors, three elected parish councillors and four appointed independents

The Standards Committee either itself or by a sub-committee is responsible for discharging the council’s functions under Part 3 of the Local Government Act 2000 including:

1.    considering and granting, or otherwise, dispensations in respect of Members’ Interests under Part 3 of the Local Government Act 2000;

2.    promoting high standards of ethical behaviour by developing, maintaining and monitoring Codes of Conduct for Members of the Council (including Co-opted Members and other persons acting in a similar capacity) and for employees in accordance with best practice and Government guidance;

3.    advising the council on the adoption or revision of the Codes of Conduct for Members and Officers;

4.    ensuring that members receive advice and training as appropriate on the Members’ Code of Conduct and the ethical framework and governance;

5.    issuing advice to members on the treatment of personal interests and on conduct matters generally;

6.    ensuring that the council maintains appropriate links with the Standards Board for England and the Commission for Local Administration in England (Ombudsman);

7.    referring issues, which impinge on staff, conduct, performance, terms of employment, training and development to the appropriate Manager; promoting high standards of responsiveness by the council to its clients and contacts; advising other persons/bodies on probity and ethics as appropriate, particularly where that person or body is exercising functions on behalf of the council;

8.    supporting the council’s statutory officers as appropriate, or their authorised deputies, in the performance of their duties;

9.    dealing with any reports from a case tribunal or interim case tribunal and any report from the council’s Monitoring Officer on any matter which is referred to the Monitoring Officer by an Ethical Standards Officer;

10.    ensuring that the council has in place an appropriate whistleblowing policy and that it is operating effectively and to make recommendations where in the opinion of the committee the policy is in need of review and/or amendment;

11.    All powers responsibilities and functions related to the consideration of complaints made to the committee with regards to member conduct pursuant to the Local Government & Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 and the Standards Committee (England) Regulations 2008 which shall include the power to appoint sub-committees as necessary and to make referrals to the Adjudication Panel.

For further details on the Standards Committee please click here.