Agenda and draft minutes

To Elect a Chair and Deputy Chair of the Standards Committee for the Municipal Year 2007-8.

RESOLVED:

1.        That Irene Francis be elected Chair of the Standards Committee for the municipal year 2007-8.

2.        That Roger Lovegrove be elected Deputy Chair of the Standards Committee for the municipal year 2007-8.

(if any)

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Dobbie, Mughal and Weber.

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

There was no such business.

A member with a personal interest in a matter who attends a meeting of the authority at which the matter is considered must disclose to that meeting the existence and nature of that interest at the commencement of that consideration, or when the interest becomes apparent.

A member with a personal interest in a matter also has a prejudicial interest in that matter if the interest is one which a member of the public with knowledge of the relevant facts would reasonably regard as so significant that it is likely to prejudice the member's judgment of the public interest.

There were no such declarations.

To confirm and sign the minutes of the meetings of the Standards Committee held on:

-          March 5 2007

-          April 30 2007 (special meeting)

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the following meetings of the Standards Committee be confirmed and signed.

i)                    5^th March 2007

ii)                  30^th April 2007 (special meeting)

There were no announcements.

To consider any referrals received from the Standards Board for England.

The Monitoring Officer stated that there had been no new referrals received from the Standards Board for England.

Members were presented with a tabled copy of the judgement summary of Standards Board for England case number SBE14281.06 which had been published on the website of the Standards Board for England.  Members placed on record their concern that the Standards Committee had not been made aware of the case at the time at which it was originally considered.

Members were reminded that any complaints about the conduct of Members should initially be referred to the Standards Board.

RESOLVED:

1.         That Members’ concerns be noted that the Standards Committee were not informed about case number SBE14281.06 at the time of the case.

To consider the outcomes of recently held Haringey Council Determination Hearings.

There had been no determination hearings to report.

To consider the  Draft Standards Committee Annual Report To Council on 16^th July 2007.

Members received the draft of the Standards Annual Report to Council.  Members also received a revised version of table 4, replacing that included in the original report.

After proposing the below mentioned changes, Members agreed the Committee’s Annual Report to be brought before the Full Council.

RESOLVED:

1.       That the Standards Committee Annual Report to Full Council be approved subject to the following revisions:

i)                    That section 7.1.1(a) be ammended to more accurately reflect the judgement of the case referred to the Ethical Standards Officer.

ii)                  That an encouragement for Members to attend Standards Training be included within section 8.2.

To discuss and agree necessary and required training on the 'Code of Conduct' and general standards issues, for Standards Committee Members and for Members generally.

The Monitoring Officer and Members agreed for 10-minute briefing sessions on declarations of interests to be held at some Council committee meetings.

Members noted that senior lawyers in the Council were being trained on the code of conduct, and that training would be given at directorate senior management meetings.  At least one further session on the Code for Members was also planned.

Members noted that training would have to be provided for any new independent members.

RESOLVED:

1.  That 10-minute briefing sessions on Declarations of Interests be arranged for Members at some Council committee meetings.

To note the date, venue and programme of The Standards Board for England Sixth Annual Assembly of Standards Committees', to be held on 15 -16 October 2007 at The International Conference Centre, Birmingham and to appoint an attendee from Standards Committee.

RESOLVED:

1.  That Haringey’s delegate to the Standards Board’s Sixth Annual Assembly of Standards Committees be either Irene Francis or Carol Sykes.

To consider any items admitted under item 2 above.

There were no such items.

To note the remaining Standards Committee meetings of the year:

-          8 October 2007

-          10 January 2008

-          10 April 2008

The dates of other Standards Committee meetings this municipal year were noted, with all meetings commencing at 7:30pm.

-          8 October 2007

-          10 January 2008

-          10 April 2008