Agenda item

The Director of Legal and Governance (and Monitoring Officer) presented an

overview of the work of the Standards and Personnel Appeals Committee

during 2021/2022.

Members acknowledged that progress with the Workplan had been good and many of the items had been finalised or rolled forward to the next municipal year as required. 

Work in relation to the Report of the Committee on Standards in Public Life was progressing well and many of the recommendations had already been implemented, in particular the review of the Code of Conduct Complaints Process and online registering of Gifts and Hospitality.  A full report outlining progress in relation to all the best practice recommendations would be submitted to the June 2022 meeting.

Committee Members were advised that since publication of the agenda, the Government’s response to the Report on Standards in Public Life had been received but following a quick review, it had proved disappointing that not much had been acknowledged and/or taken forward.  However, further consideration of the content of Register of Interest Forms was to be undertaken to assess whether the requirement for declaration and publication of property/home addresses would be required going forward. The report to Committee in June would provide the response in full for Members to consider.

The Member Training Strategy had been approved in December 2021 and additional work was now to be carried out with regard to Politically Restricted posts due to further staffing changes/revisions to the list and the need to further consult with the Trade Unions and CLT prior to its approval.

The Review of the Nottinghamshire Authorities Protocol with Nottinghamshire

Police would now also be undertaken in the 2022/23 municipal year and rolled forward onto the new workplan accordingly.

With regard to the Use of Resources Policy the Scrutiny Research Officer reminded Members that they had already expressed their agreement to much of the document in principle but had asked for clarity in relation to the use of Ashfield District Council’s corporate protective workwear and clothing.  Concerns had been raised that the requirement for the return of items after use was often impracticable and unhygienic (i.e. protective footwear) and that Members often attended multiple events on a weekly basis and preferred to keep such items in their possession.

Having spoken to the Service Manager for Risk and Emergency Planning regarding the wording in the draft Provision of Corporate Clothing and

Personal Protective Equipment Policy (that had been used in the draft Use of Resources Policy), it had been agreed that the section was not meant to be restrictive and could be flexibly interpreted as required.  The Service Manager was also happy for the wording in both policies to be amended slightly if required.

Members were happy with this development but asked that the words ‘flexible’ and ‘term of office’ be included in the section to reflect the longer-term use of corporate clothing as necessary.

The Service Manager, Scrutiny and Democratic Services then gave the quarterly update in relation to Member Complaints and advised that during 2021, 6 complaints had been dealt with and in 2022 to date, 3 new Member complaints had been received and facilitated.  With regard to the longer-term complaints, some of the work had been progressed but reaching resolutions was intermittent due to officer’s time being taken up with other commitments/priorities within their service areas.

Two of the historical complaints were particularly complex and were of concern as some staff members involved with the initial investigations had left the Authority.  However, it was now a priority to resolve all the remaining historical complaints to achieve resolutions for all parties concerned.

RESOLVED that

a)    progress made in relation to the agreed 2021/22 Workplan and the items proposed for the 2022/23 Workplan, be received and endorsed;

b)    the number of Member complaints received during 2021/22 to date, as summarised in the report, including the current outstanding complaints as set out in the report, be duly noted;

c)    it be also noted that there were no declarations of Member gifts and hospitality to report for the preceding quarter;

d)    Council be recommended to approve the Use of Resources Policy as appended to the report, subject to the section relating to the use of Corporate Clothing and Personal Protective Equipment being amended slightly to ensure its interpretation remains flexible to facilitate longer-term use of equipment including reference to a Member’s 4-year term of office as required.