Agenda and minutes

The Monitoring Officer appointed Councillor Dolby as the voting parish representative for this meeting.

Apologies for absence were received from Mr Holtom, Councillor M G Williams, Councillor T Holmes and Councillor R Rose.

Members are asked to declare interests in matters for consideration at the meeting.

There were none declared.

No applications had been received at the date of agenda preparation.

None received.

(Enclosures)

The minutes of the meeting held on 19^th May 2005 and the special meeting held on 30^th August 3005 were confirmed as a true record of the decisions taken.

Report number DLS47 by the Monitoring Officer.

(Enclosure)

Decision:

To note the report of the Monitoring Officer and expect to hold an additional meeting of the Committee before the end of the calendar year to hold hearings for the three allegations referred for determination by the Standards Board for England.

The Monitoring Officer presented report DLS47, which set out the outstanding notified decisions from the Standards Board for England on allegations of breaches of the Code of Conduct. These related to one member of Bourne Town Council and two members of the district council. All three had been referred to the Standards Committee for determination.  The Monitoring Officer confirmed that the notified decision reported at the last scheduled meeting of the Committee on 19^th May 2005 was that no action was to be taken. The case summary was now published on the Standards Board’s website.

The Monitoring Officer commented that the three month deadline for local investigation was proving very difficult to meet. Illness and other leave amongst the parties involved had delayed progress with the investigations. The Committee also discussed and confirmed the quorum for the hearings and declarations of interest that may be required. The Vice-Chairman confirmed that, although all parish representatives were welcome to attend the hearings, in the interests of justice, only the voting parish representative may remain in the meeting during the committee’s deliberations.  

The Monitoring Officer to present an oral report on the procedure following the request made at the previous meeting of the Committee held on 30^th August 2005.

This issue has been raised at the previous meeting of 30^th August 2005 following the consideration of the application for dispensation. The Monitoring Officer confirmed that powers relating to the size of parish councils were provided under the Local Government and Rating Act 1997. Government guidance followed by district councils included the following sliding scale for determining the number of parish councils according to the parish’s electorate:

It was understood that this scale was used throughout Lincolnshire. The Monitoring Officer added that the Electoral Commission was undertaking a national review on the issue and a report was expected in two to three years’ time.

Report by the Chairman on his visit to the Assembly.

(Enclosure)

Decision:

To note the report.

The committee considered the report of the Chairman on his attendance at the Assembly, which had been circulated with the agenda. The Vice-Chairman commented that, like the Chairman, on his visit to a previous Assembly he had found the informal sessions of most benefit as they provided the opportunity to liase with members of other authorities.  

A brief discussion on CPA followed, as this had been raised in the Chairman’s report. The Monitoring Officer circulated for information copy of the Standards Board for England’s Annual Review.

Wednesday 23^rd November 2005 2.30p.m.

[Should a Standards Committee hearing be required on that day, the meeting may be held at 2.00p.m.]

The meeting closed at 2.55p.m.