REPORT OF THE

GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE

PART I

INDEPENDENT MEMBERS OF THE STANDARDS COMMITTEE

1. The Committee has considered future arrangements for the appointment of Independent Members to serve on the County Council's Standards Committee. They did so in the light of views expressed by the existing Independent Members of the Standards Committee, and also by the Audit Commission, in the context of the Comprehensive Performance Assessment, that there should be an increase in the number of Independent Members and that one of those Independent Members should be Chairman of the Standards Committee.

2. Arrangements are currently in hand to advertise, interview and recruit prospective Independent Members for the Standards Committees for the County Council, Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service and the Hampshire Police Authority. The Governance Committee has considered the issues and has reached the conclusion that there should be no change in the current constitution of the County Council's Standards Committee - 6 elected Members and two Independent Members, with the Chairmanship being retained by a County Councillor.

3. There is a short-term problem as regards the current Independent Membership of the County Council's Standards Committee. One of the Independent Members has recently resigned and the other is in poor health. It is expected that the recruitment process mentioned in paragraph 2 above will enable new Independent Members to be appointed for a four-year term at the February Council meeting. That leaves a potential gap in the interim period. It is to be hoped that the remaining Independent Member will be able to continue acting on that capacity, but to cover all eventualities approaches have been made to the Independent Members who have been serving on the Standards Committee for the Hampshire Fire and Rescue Authority for the last 4 years. They have the necessary experience and have indicated that they would be prepared to act temporarily for the County Council as well if need be.

4. A recommendation to make a temporary appointment for the next 3 months is therefore set out below. This will enable the County Council's Standards Committee to be constituted in accordance with statutory requirements and also to respond to any complaints there might be which require investigation.

RECOMMENDATION:

That Miss Sandra Roberts, with Mrs Wendy Allen as reserve, be appointed an Independent Member on the County Council's Standards Committee, for the period until the County Council meeting on 22 February 2006.

T.K. Thornber CBE

Chairman

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