Agenda and minutes

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Contact: Ayshe Simsek  X2920

Items
No. Item

36.

FILMING AT MEETINGS

Please note this meeting may be filmed or recorded by the Council for live or subsequent broadcast via the Council’s internet site or by anyone attending the meeting using any communication method.  Although we ask members of the public recording, filming or reporting on the meeting not to include the public seating areas, members of the public attending the meeting should be aware that we cannot guarantee that they will not be filmed or recorded by others attending the meeting.  Members of the public participating in the meeting (e.g. making deputations, asking questions, making oral protests) should be aware that they are likely to be filmed, recorded or reported on.  By entering the meeting room and using the public seating area, you are consenting to being filmed and to the possible use of those images and sound recordings.

 

The Chair of the meeting has the discretion to terminate or suspend filming or recording, if in his or her opinion continuation of the filming, recording or reporting would disrupt or prejudice the proceedings, infringe the rights of any individual, or may lead to the breach of a legal obligation by the Council.

Minutes:

The Committee noted the arrangements in respect of filming at meetings, as outlined by the Chair.

 

37.

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

Apologies for absence had been received from Councillor James Ryan and Councillor Elin Weston.  Councillors Reg  Rice and Councillor Liz McShane substituted

38.

Urgent Business

The Chair will consider the admission of any late items of urgent business.

Minutes:

There were no matters of urgent business to consider.

39.

Declarations of Interest

A member with a disclosable pecuniary interest or a prejudicial interest in a matter who attends a meeting of the authority at which the matter is considered:

 

(i) must disclose the interest at the start of the meeting or when the interest becomes apparent, and

(ii) may not participate in any discussion or vote on the matter and must withdraw from the meeting room.

 

A member who discloses at a meeting a disclosable pecuniary interest which is not registered in the Register of Members’ Interests or the subject of a pending notification must notify the Monitoring Officer of the interest within 28 days of the disclosure.

 

Disclosable pecuniary interests, personal interests and prejudicial interests are defined at Paragraphs 5-7 and Appendix A of the Members’ Code of Conduct.

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest put forward.

40.

Minutes and Matters Arising pdf icon PDF 129 KB

To confirm and sign the minutes of the meetings of the Standards Committee held on the 15th October 2015.

Minutes:

The minutes of the 15th of  October meeting were agreed subject to adding Councillor Beacham’s name to the list of attendees.

41.

Verbal report of the Asst Director Corporate Governance & Monitoring Officer

Report of the Assistant Director Corporate Governance and Monitoring Officer - To receive a summary of information about complaints received by the Monitoring Officer to date that a Member had breached the Member’s Code of Conduct, since the commencement of the 2015-16 Municipal Year

Minutes:

The Assistant  Director Corporate Governance & Monitoring Officer’s Principal Lawyer Ms Vydulinska advised the Committee that, since the last meeting in October, there had been no new  referrals/complaints.

42.

Member's Allowance Scheme pdf icon PDF 115 KB

The Committee will consider the  revocation of the Members Allowances Scheme for 2015/16 as of 31st March 2016;  and further consider the proposed new Members Allowances Scheme for 2016-17 as set out in Appendix 1 to this report to take effect from 1st April 2016.This report will go forward to Full Council in March for approval.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee noted that each year, before 31st March, full Council is required by the Local Authorities (Members Allowances) (England) Regulations 2003 to adopt a Members Allowances Scheme for the following financial year.

 

The Committee  were  advised that before adoption of a Members Allowances Scheme, the Council has a duty to consider the recommendations of an Independent Remuneration Panel in relation to the payment of Members Allowances.

 

The Local Authorities (Members Allowances) (England) Regulations 2003 allow London Boroughs to use an independent remuneration panel set up for the purpose of making recommendations across London. London Councils set up a panel for this purpose in 2001 and we considered its most recent report  which was published in June 2014 and attached as Appendix 3.  The Committee noted that although the IRP makes recommendations, it is for each individual council to decide the level of remuneration and for which roles. The Committee  further noted that the 2014 recommendations had been considered in the preparation of the proposals at Appendix 1.

 

The Committee noted that there were no proposals to change the level of allowances. There were only small amendments to the scheme which related to year for which the Scheme will operate, and some minor clarifications relating to the description of co-optees for consistency. These  are set out in italics at appendix 2 of the report.

 

 

RESOLVED

 

To recommend to full Council on the 17th of March:

1.    The revocation of the Members Allowances Scheme for 2015/16 as of 31st March 2016; and

2.    The approval of the proposed new Members Allowances Scheme for 2016-17 as set out in Appendix 2 to this report to take effect from 1st April 2016.

 

 

43.

New Items of unrestricted Urgent Business

To consider any new items of urgent business.

Minutes:

None

44.

Dates of Next Meetings

16th June 2016

13th October 2016

23rd January 2017

4th April 2017

Minutes:

13th of June 2016.

45.

EXCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC AND PRESS

The following item is likely to be subject of a motion to exclude the press and public from the meeting as it contains exempt information as defined in Section 100a of the Local Government Act 1972; namely information relating to any individual, and information which is likely to reveal the identity of an individual.

 

Minutes:

RESOLVED

 

That the press and public be excluded the from the meeting for consideration of Item 11 as it contains exempt information as defined in Section 100a of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended by Section 12A of the Local Government Act 1985); paragraphs 1 & 2; namely information relating to any individual, and information likely to reveal the identity of an individual.

 

46.

Recruitment of Independent Members for Standards Committee and Staffing and Remuneration Committee

Report of the Assistant Director Corporate Governance & Monitoring Officer – noting the outcome of the interviews held on 27 January 2016 and to recommend to Full Council its confirmation of the appointments for a four year term from 1 July 2016.

Minutes:

 

The Committee had previously agreed in October 2015 the commencement of a recruitment process to seek an Independent Person (to commence office on 1 July 2016 for a four year term). Interviews for the position took place on 27 January 2016 and the Interview Panel consisted of Councillors Morris, Reith and Sahota. The committee   Chair remarked  that there had been a thorough recruitment process facilitated by Legal and Democratic services.

 

The Committee continued to consider the report attached at appendix 4, which contained the legal requirements for appointing an independent person, and listed their duties and required work for the council. The Committee noted that there had been a strong shortlist of candidates, and the two recommended candidates had been chosen according to their working experience and knowledge of local government.

 

RESOLVED

 

To recommend to full Council on the 17th of March:

 

  1. To appoint Lisa Klein as Independent Person, and Alison Lowton as secondary Independent Person under s28(7) of the Localism Act 2011 for a period of 4 years commencing 1 July 2016 and ending on 30 June 2020;

 

  1. To approve the allowance paid per annum to the Independent Person, and Secondary Independent person be £1250.00 and £250.00 respectively.

 

 

47.

Exempt Minutes

To agree the exempt minutes of the meeting held on the 15th October 2016.

Minutes:

RESOLVED

 

To approve the exempt minutes of the 15th of October, subject to the addition of  Cllr Beacham  to the attendees.

48.

any other exempt business the Chair considers to be urgent

Minutes:

None