Joint Standards Committee	30 September 2020
Report of the Monitoring Officer

Report on Parish Council Membership

Summary

This report updates the Committee on steps taken to fill the current Parish vacancy on the Joint Standards Committee.

Background

The Localism Act 2011 abolished the previous statutory Standards Committees which automatically included Parish Members.  City of York Council was keen to retain Parish and Town Council influence on the Standards Committee and to give Parish Members the same status as City Councillors, including having full voting rights.  In order to achieve this, the Council agreed to establish a Joint Committee.  Formally, that Committee is a Joint Committee between the City Council and 3 Parish Councils in York, whose Members sit on the committee.  Parish Council membership has always been on the basis that the Parish members see themselves as representatives of Parish Councillors generally rather than simply of their own Parish.

A Parish Council vacancy has arisen on the Joint Standards Committee and in order to ensure that Parish Members are representative of Parish Councils as a whole, nominations are being sought through the Yorkshire Local Councils’ Association in order to fill this vacancy.  Parish and Town Councils within the City of York Council boundary area will be asked to put forward nominations, after which a ballot will take place across those nominated Parish/Town Councils. 

Once a Parish/Town Council is elected, that Parish/Town Council will provide the Joint Standards Committee with their Committee representative.

Implications

Financial

Not applicable to this report.

Human Resources (HR)

Not applicable to this report.

Equalities

None applicable to this report.

Legal

The Council’s constitution requires that the Joint Standards Committee shall be a joint committee consisting of City of York Council and 3 Parish Councils.

Crime and Disorder, Information Technology and Property

Not applicable to this report.

Recommendations

Members are recommended to note the report on the steps being taken in order to ensure that full Membership of the Joint Standards Committee can be maintained which will allow the Council to effectively engage with Parish and Town Councils in promoting high standards of ethical conduct for all local Councillors.

Author: Rachel Antonelli Senior Solicitor & Interim Deputy Monitoring Officer	Chief Officer Responsible for the report: Janie Berry Director of Governance & Monitoring Officer Tel:  01904 555385
Tel:  01904 551043
	Report Approved	√	Date	21 September 2020
Specialist Implications Officer(s):
Wards Affected:  List wards or tick box to indicate all					All	X
For further information please contact the author of the report

Background Papers: None