Agenda and minutes

To appoint a member to chair the meeting.

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

Members are asked to declare:

·        Any personal interests not included on the Register of Interests

·        Any prejudicial interests or

·        Any disclosable pecuniary interests

which they may have in respect of business on this agenda.

Members were invited to declare at this point in the meeting any personal interests not included on the Register of Interests, or any prejudicial or disclosable pecuniary interests, that they might have in the business on the agenda.

Cllr Fisher declared that his former nephew and former sister in law were both members of Haxby Town Council, the latter recently elected.  However, neither of them had been involved in the events under consideration.

To consider excluding the public and press from the meeting during consideration of agenda item 4 (Code of Conduct Complaint Received in respect of a Parish / Town Councillor), on the grounds that it contains information relating to individuals.  This information 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.

Resolved:  That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the private report at Agenda Item 5 (Code of Conduct Complaint received in respect of City of York Councillors), on the grounds that it contains information relating to individuals, 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 review the draft report of the Investigating Officer as a result of a Code of Conduct complaint made in respect of a Parish/Town Councillor.

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

Members considered a report which presented the draft report of the Investigating Officer regarding a Code of Conduct complaint made in respect of a Parish/Town Councillor.  Full details were provided in an exempt report, to which the draft was attached as an annex.

Members were invited to consider whether to:

1)   Rule that the draft report was incomplete and that further investigation was required;

2)   Rule that the draft report was complete, accept the finding contained in it, and determine the next steps; or

3)   Rule that the draft report was complete but not accept the finding contained in it.

Discussion took place in private session, in accordance with the resolution in Minute 31 above.

Having considered the information provided, and taking into account the comments of the Independent Person at the meeting, it was

Resolved:  That the Chief Operating Officer be recommended to:

(i)           Approve Option 2; that the draft report of the Investigating Officer be ruled complete and the finding in it accepted.

                   (ii)      Agree that the case be referred for a hearing.

Reason:     The Sub-Committee considers that a hearing is required in this case.