Agenda and minutes

To appoint a member to chair the meeting.

Resolved:  That Cllr Kilbane be appointed as Chair of the meeting.

At this point in the meeting, Members are asked to declare any disclosable pecuniary interest or other registerable interest they might have in respect of business on this agenda, if they have not already done so in advance on the Register of Interests.

Members were asked to declare at this point in the meeting any disclosable pecuniary interests or other registerable interests they might have in respect of business on the agenda, if they had not already done so in advance on the Register of Interests.  No interests were declared.

To consider excluding the public and press from the meeting during consideration of agenda item 3 on the grounds that it contains information relating to individuals. This information is classed as exempt under paragraph 1 and 2 of Schedule 12A to Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006.

Resolved:  That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the private report at Agenda Item 4 (Code of Conduct Complaints received in respect a City of York Councillor), on the grounds that it contains information relating to an individual, which is classed as exempt under paragraph 1 of Schedule 12A to Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006.

To consider two Code of Conduct complaints received in respect of a City of York Councillor, and to determine next steps.

Note: the private report referred to in Agenda Item 3 above follows the public report on this item.

Members considered a report which set out two Code of Conduct complaints received in respect of a City of York Councillor.  Details of the complaints and circumstances were presented in the private report referred to in Minute 12 above.

Members were asked, in respect of each of the complaints received, to consider whether to:

A.  Rule that the complaint is out of scope, or

B.  Rule that the complaint is in scope and choose either to:

a)   take no further action

b)   seek to resolve the matter informally, or

c)   refer the matter for investigation.

Having considered all the information provided, and the advice of the Independent Person at the meeting, it was

Resolved:  (i)      That in respect of the first complaint, Option A be approved and the complaint be ruled out of scope.

Reason:     The Sub-Committee does not consider that this matter is capable of being a breach of the Code of Conduct. 

                   (ii)      That in respect of the second complaint Option B(b) be approved and the complaint be ruled in scope and an informal resolution be sought; namely, a written apology.

Reason:     The Sub-Committee considers that this matter is capable of being a breach of the Code of Conduct and that some action should be taken but that an investigation is not required.