To enable the committee to be assured that high standards of conduct continue to be promoted and maintained. To provide an overview of how the arrangements for dealing with complaints are working together with views from the latest standards panel sampling review.

The solicitor to the council presented the report and introduced the two independent persons for standards, Claire Jenkins and Jake Bharier, who were available to answer questions.  

The following points were highlighted:

·        Support from independent persons to councillors subject to complaints was now available.

·        A review of the arrangements would be taking place with the independent persons for standards.

·        There had been an increase in allegations of a failure to declare an interest.

·        Other course of action had been used in clusters of complaints in parish councils.

·        The standards panel had reviewed 28 complaints and that there was a good level of assurance in the complaints process.

Following a query from a member of the committee, the solicitor to the council confirmed that if a parish council goes inquorate, then as a principal authority, Herefordshire Council, would need to step in.

It was also confirmed that if there were complaints about the monitoring officer, then the corporate complaints process could be used.   If there were complaints about the process used to determine complaints, then the complainant or subject member could appeal and if it met the criteria a standards panel would be convened to hear the appeal.

It was explained that there were regular IP conferences which provided an opportunity to ensure that best practice was being used and to demonstrate that there was a shared learning experience and that there was continuous improvement.   

The independent persons were thanked for their time.

It was agreed that the parish councils would be consulted on the arrangements for dealing with code of conduct complaints.

RESOLVED that:

(a)   the recommendations from the standards panel advising this committee (appendix 1), following their annual sampling exercise, are considered and are adopted as appropriate into the action tracker

(b)   summary of the Nolan principles could be included in the agenda papers for Herefordshire Council committee agendas and to encourage parish council to adopt the same approach.

(c)   The parish councils be consulted on the arrangements for dealing with code of conduct complaints.