REPORT OF THE

STANDARDS COMMITTEE

PART I

PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION

1. The Committee has considered the possibility of amending the Constitution in two specific areas: the Part III question procedure at Council meetings; and supplementary arrangements for minority groups to nominate additional deputies at meetings of the Standards Committee.

2. With regard to questions to Cabinet Members at Council meetings, the pilot scheme has been in operation for the May and July Council meetings and the Committee feel it is perhaps too early to reach a conclusion on its effectiveness. There were ten questions in May and two in July, and the Committee consider that the trial period should be extended for a further two Council meetings in order to gain further experience of how the system works and whether it meets the Council's aspirations for accountability. The Standards Committee will, therefore, return to the subject at their meeting in January and will review the Part III questions procedure in the light of experience at the September and November County Council meetings. They will then consider whether they wish to put forward any proposals to the County Council for permanent change to the Constitution. In the meantime, no changes are required and the pilot scheme can continue.

3. With regard to deputies, present arrangements are that a minority group with only one representative on a Committee may appoint a standing deputy. This principle was established by the former Procedures Sub-Committee in January 1998, which recommended that the appointment of Deputies to Committees, Sub-Committees and Panels of the Council be approved on the basis that, where a political group has only one place, it may nominate a deputy to provide cover in the event that the named Member is unable to attend. With regard to Standards Committee, this situation applies to both the Liberal Democrat and Labour Groups: each has one nominated Member with 1 nominated deputy. This caused particular difficulties for the Liberal Democrat Group at a recent meeting when both their principal representative and the standing deputy were personally involved, had prejudicial interests and were therefore unable to participate in the Committee's proceedings. In order to overcome this difficulty, the Committee recommends an amendment which will allow a further deputy to be nominated by any minority group which would otherwise be unrepresented at a meeting of the Standards Committee.

RECOMMENDATION:

That an amendment be made to the Constitution at Part I Chapter 9 Paragraph 9.2 by adding at the end of the second paragraph the following:

"However, so as to ensure that all political parties are represented on the Standards Committee if the Member and Deputy Member representing either of the minority parties are unable to attend any meeting of the Standards Committee, the appropriate Leader of the minority party may nominate an alternative Member to attend in their place by notifying the Chief Executive of the reasons for non-attendance of the originally appointed Member and Deputy Member".

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