Joint Standards Committee	24 January 2022
Report of the Monitoring Officer

Update on Review of Procedures – Hoey Ainscough

Summary

This report provides the Joint Standards Committee with Hoey Ainscough’s update of their review of the current procedures in place to deal with Code of Conduct complaints.

Background

At the last Joint Standards Committee Meeting in November 2021, the Committee considered a draft procedure document which Hoey Ainscough had prepared.  Amendments were agreed by the Committee and Members asked Hoey Ainscough to draft further documents for consideration as part of their review:

· Assessment Sub Committee procedure;

· Procedures for hearings;

· Guidance on conflict of interests;

· Member/Officer protocol;

· Protocol for referral of complaints to the Police;

· Case Handling Flow chart (to follow);

· Flow Chart on declaring interests at meetings (to follow);

· Brief explanatory note of procedure for subject member/complainant (to follow);

· Job description for the Independent Persons (to follow).

A number of these documents have now been drafted and can be found at Annexes A to F.  Paul Hoey and Natalie Ainscough will be present at the Joint Standards Committee Meeting.

Implications

Financial

Not applicable to this report.

Human Resources (HR)

Not applicable to this report.

Equalities

The Equality Act 2010 places specific duties on Local Authorities.  Having a clear and concise Code of Conduct and procedures which aid the process and prohibits unlawful discrimination gives the public confidence in Members and the Council as a whole.

Legal

As detailed within the report.

Crime and Disorder, Information Technology and Property

Not applicable to this report.

Recommendations

Members are asked to consider the draft procedures and decide whether to recommend the same to Full Council for adoption and implementation to support the Model Code of Conduct.

Author: Rachel Antonelli Head of Democratic Governance & 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	11 January 2022
Wards Affected:					All	√
For further information please contact the author of the report

Background Papers:

Annex A – Case Handling procedure (updated after November Joint Standards Committee)

Annex B – Joint Standards Committee Assessment Sub Committee procedure

Annex C –Hearings procedure

Annex D –Conflict of Interest document for Assessment Sub Committee Meetings and Hearings

Annex E –Member/Officer protocol

Annex F – Police protocol