Archived decisions

AT A MEETING of the STANDARDS COMMITTEE of HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL held at The Castle, Winchester on 30 January 2007.

PRESENT:

Councillors: p J.V. Bryant; (Chairman); a Jo Kelly p A.R. Ludlow p A.W. Rice, TD p J.K. West p S.D.T. Woodward

Independent Members: p Mr G. Ellis a Mr M James

7. APOLOGIES

    Apologies for absence were received from Mr M James (Independent Member)

8. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

    Members were mindful that, where they believed they had a personal or personal prejudicial interest in any matter to be considered at the meeting, they should normally at the time of the debate, declare their interest and, having regard to the circumstances described in paragraphs 9, 10, 11 and 12 of the County Council's Code of Conduct, consider whether to leave the meeting whilst the matter was discussed.

9. MINUTES

    The Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 25 July 2006 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

10. SURVEY OF ETHICAL GOVERNANCE AT THE COUNTY COUNCIL

      The Committee considered and approved the report of the Head of Corporate and Legal Services and Monitoring Officer (Item 4 in the Minute Book) following a survey of members of the County Council in relation to the County Council's Ethical Governance framework. The Committee welcomed the generally positive results of the survey and endorsed the recommendations of the Head of Corporate and Legal Services and Monitoring Officer as to further action which should be taken.

      The Committee noted that the report had been considered by the Governance Committee on 25 January 2007 and had also agreed the recommendations.

      The Head of Corporate and Legal Services and Monitoring Officer took the opportunity, with the leave of the Chairman, to mention that the government had very recently issued for consultation its draft proposals for a revised model Code of Conduct for Members. The draft was circulated to members who were asked to pass their comments to the Monitoring Officer who would be considering all the issues and preparing the County Council's response to the consultation.

    RESOLVED:

    a) That future training sessions given to members by the Monitoring Officer on conduct should give greater emphasis to members' obligations regarding the Register of Interests;

    b) That steps be taken to ensure that members of the Council are made more aware of and have improved access to the Council's ethical policies including whistleblowing, human rights, freedom of information, data protection, race relations, sex and disability discrimination.

11. COMPLAINT REFERRED TO THE COUNTY COUNCIL BY THE STANDARDS BOARD FOR ENGLAND

    The Head of Corporate and Legal Services and Monitoring Officer reported that, pursuant to the decision of the Hearing Panel established by the Committee to consider a complaint made against Mr A Lovell, a co-opted member of the River Hamble Harbour Board, Mr Lovell had attended further training given by the Head of Corporate and Legal Services and Monitoring Officer on 11 December 2006 with particular reference to personal and personal, prejudicial interests. The opportunity had also been taken to extend the invitation to other co-opted members of the County Council and several had attended.