Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Latham.

All Members who believe they have a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in any matter to be considered at the meeting must declare that interest and, having regard to the circumstances described in Part 3 Paragraph 1.5 of the County Council's Members' Code of Conduct, leave the meeting while the matter is discussed, save for exercising any right to speak in accordance with Paragraph 1.6 of the Code. Furthermore all Members with a Non-Pecuniary interest in a matter being considered at the meeting should consider whether such interest should be declared, and having regard to Part 5, Paragraph 2 of the Code, consider whether it is appropriate to leave the meeting while the matter is discussed, save for exercising any right to speak in accordance with the Code.

Members were mindful that where they believed they had a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in any matter considered at the meeting they must declare that interest at the time of the relevant debate and, having regard to the circumstances described in Part 3, Paragraph 1.5 of the County Council's Members' Code of Conduct, leave the meeting while the matter was discussed, save for exercising any right to speak in accordance with Paragraph 1.6 of the Code.  Furthermore Members were mindful that where they believed they had a Non-Pecuniary Interest in a matter being considered at the meeting they considered whether such interest should be declared, and having regard to Part 5, Paragraph 2 of the Code, considered whether it was appropriate to leave the meeting whilst the matter was discussed, save for exercising any right to speak in accordance with the Code.

To confirm the minutes of the previous meeting held on 23 June 2017.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 23 June 2017 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To receive any announcements the Chairman may wish to make.

There were no Chairman’s Announcements.

To receive any deputations notified under Standing Order 12.

There were no deputations on this occasion.

This report seeks approval of a change to arrangements for the assessment, investigation and determination of complaints of breach of the Code of Conduct for Members and Co-opted Members of the County Council in accordance with an amendment to the Localism Act 2011 (‘the Localism Act’) requiring that provision is made in these arrangements to handle a complaint against the Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire in his capacity as a Co-opted Member of the Hampshire Health and Wellbeing Board.

The Panel considered the report of the Director of Transformation and Governance (Item 6 in the Minute Book) seeking approval for a change to the County Council’s arrangements for the assessment, investigation and determination of complaints of breach of the Code of Conduct for Members and Co-opted Members of the County Council (the Arrangements) in consequence of an amendment to the Localism Act 2011, requiring that specific provision is made concerning the handling of complaints against the Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire in his capacity as a Co-opted Member of the Hampshire Health and Wellbeing Board.

The Head of Law and Governance took Members through the report and highlighted the amendments to the Arrangements as set out in Appendix 1 of the report.  Members noted the complaint process, and it was explained that such complaints would be referred to the Police and Crime Panel for consideration first, before the County Council determined whether the Code of Conduct for Members had been breached.  The Head of Law and Governance reported that the process would be conducted in a timely manner, and Members were content with the recommendation.

RESOLVED:

That the Conduct Advisory Panel approve the revised arrangements in respect of the assessment, investigation and determination of complaints of breach of the Code of Conduct for Members contained at Appendix 1 to this report.