Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

No apologies for absence were received.

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 1 December 2017.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 1 December 2017 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To receive any announcements the Chairman may wish to make.

The Chairman confirmed that meetings of the Panel were convened from time to time to deal with specific matters related to the Panel’s remit.

To receive any deputations notified under Standing Order 12.

There were no deputations on this occasion.

To consider a report of the Monitoring Officer regarding the delegation of  approval of absence of an Elected Member of the Council.

The Panel considered a report of the Monitoring Officer (Item 6 in the Minute Book) seeking approval of the Panel to recommend to full Council that the responsibility for approval of absence of an elected Member of the County Council pursuant to Section 85 of the Local Government Act 1972 be delegated to the Conduct Advisory Panel.

In presenting the report the Monitoring Officer confirmed that very few requests for a period of absence of six months or more are received.  However, statutory provisions require that such an absence is approved and the delegation to the Conduct Advisory Panel is proposed as a practical solution.  The Monitoring Officer confirmed that reference to the six month absence disqualification rule is included in the Constitution and is brought to Members attention through the Members Induction Programme.

Members of the Panel reflected on the proposed way forward and were supportive.   Furthermore Members considered that it was not appropriate to expect officers to monitor Members’ attendance; such monitoring to be carried out by Group Leaders.

RESOLVED:

That the Conduct Advisory Panel recommend to full Council that responsibility for approval of absence of an elected Member of the County Council pursuant to Section 85 of the Local Government Act 1972 be delegated to the Conduct Advisory Panel.

The meeting closed at 10.53am.