EPPING FOREST DISTRICT COUNCIL
COMMITTEE MINUTES
Committee:
Standards
Date:
29 July 2004
Place:
Civic Committee Room 1, Civic Offices,
Time:
7.30 - 8.20 p.m.
Epping
Members
Present:
Independent Members:
Councillors Dr D Hawes (Chairman), Ms M Marshall, G Weltch
District Council Representatives:
Councillors Mrs D Borton, Mrs P Smith
Parish/Town Council Representatives:
Councillor K Percy (Deputy)
Other
Councillors:
-
Apologies:
Councillor J Salter (Parish/Town Council Representative)
Officers
Present:
I Willett (Head of Research and Democratic Services) (Deputy Monitoring
Officer), C Overend (Research and Democratic Services)
1. ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE
The Monitoring Officer reminded the Committee that Dr Derek Hawes had been
elected by the Committee as its Chairman for a three-year period commencing in
May 2001 and that, as that three-year period had now expired, the Committee
was required to elect a Chairman for the period 2004-07.
RESOLVED:
That Dr Derek Hawes be elected Chairman of the Committee for a period of
three years expiring in May 2007.
2. COMMITTEE – MEMBERSHIP (Minute 36 – 13.4.04)
The Chairman advised the Committee that the Council, at its meeting on 20
April 2004, had agreed that the appointment of Mary Marshall, Grenville Weltch
and himself as the three independent members of the Committee be extended for
a further three years until the Annual Council meeting in 2007. At the Annual
Meeting of the District Council on 24 June 2004, Councillors Mrs Daphne Borton
and Mrs Penny Smith had been appointed as the District Council representatives
on the Committee for 2004/05.
Notification had been received from the Epping Forest Branch of the Essex
Association of Local Councils that Councillors Jason Salter and Ken Percy had
been reappointed for 2004/05 as the parish council representative and deputy
respectively.
RESOLVED:
(1) That the decisions taken by the District Council on 20 April 2004 in
relation to membership of the Committee and on 24 June 2004 in relation to
District Council representation of the Committee for 2004/05 be noted; and
(2) That the decision of the Epping Forest Branch of the Essex Association
of Local Councils in relation to the appointment of the parish council
representative and deputy for 2004/05 be also noted.
3. MINUTES
RESOLVED:
That the minutes of the Committee meeting held on 13 April 2004 be taken as
read and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.
4. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING
(a) Loughton Residents' Association – Planning Issues (Minute 34(b))
The Monitoring Officer advised the Committee that the procedures which
effectively separated the LRA in terms of it responding to planning issues on
the one hand and operating as a political party on the other, had now been
finalised and adopted. The required changes in the Association's Constitution
would be carried out at the time of its annual meeting in October 2004.
(b) Councillors Serving on Outside Organisations or Other Public Authorities
(Minute 37)
The Monitoring Officer advised the Committee that the District Council had
set up a Working Group which would be carrying out an overall review of the
arrangements for councillors serving on outside organisations or other public
authorities. The Committee's views on this matter would be put forward to the
Working Group, to be taken into account as part of the guidance it issued.
(c) Standards Committee – Second Annual Report
The Monitoring Officer reported that the Standards Committee's Annual Report
for 2003/04 had been received by the District Council at its meeting on 20 May
2004. The Council had placed on record its thanks to the Standards Committee
for the work it had carried out during the 2003/04 Council Year.
5. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
Councillor Mrs Penny Smith declared personal interests in respect of item 7 (b)
(reference SBE/7207.04 and SBE/7512.04) in that the items concerned related to
the Leader of the Conservative Group.
6. CORPORATE GOVERNANCE COURSE - 21 JUNE 2004
The Committee considered a report summarising the issues covered at a course on
Corporate Governance attended by the Monitoring Officer on 21 June 2004. In
particular, the Committee noted that the procedures for dealing with Local
Hearings had been dealt with on the course. These included the parts of the
Ethical Standards Officer's report which could be used by members of the
Standards Committee when formulating their decision at a hearing, which
individuals could remain in attendance at the time the Committee was
deliberating and deciding the outcome, how that decision should be drafted and
the need for having a trial run using role-play before a referral was actually
made.
RESOLVED:
(1) That the feedback report of the Monitoring Officer from the Corporate
Governance Course on 21 June 2004 be noted;
(2) That it be agreed that training for a Local Hearing in the form of a
trial run using role-play is required and that the Monitoring Officer be
requested to make the necessary arrangements in the near future;
(3) That, to reflect the cost of carrying out at least one investigation,
additional finance in the sum of £2,000 for the 2005/06 financial year be
sought.
7. ALLEGATIONS RECEIVED
The Committee received a report on the current position of allegations made
to the Standards Board about District and Local Councils.
RESOLVED:
That the report be noted.
8. MEMBER TRAINING PROGRAMME 2004/05 - PLANNING PROTOCOL AND CODE
OF CONDUCT (Minute 41 - 13.04.04)
At its meeting on 13 April 2004 the Committee had been advised that feedback
from the Peer Review and the Comprehensive Performance Assessment had
suggested there should be increased member involvement in drawing up a
programme of training. As a consequence, the Leader of the District Council
had established a Group of District Councillors to pursue the matter and had
asked for the views of the Standards Committee. The Committee had put forward
the view that provision should be made in the Member Training Programme for
2004/05 for courses on the Code of Conduct and the Planning Protocol. The
Monitoring Officer advised the Committee that the Group had subsequently
suggested that the most appropriate arrangement would be for there to be two
separate evening refresher courses on the Planning Protocol and the Code of
Conduct, the former being part of an overall course covering planning law and
other aspects. Members were asked to agree dates for the two training
sessions and determine who should represent the Committee at the sessions.
The Committee discussed the potential difficulties arising in instances when
newly elected Councillors were appointed to one of the Plans Sub-Committees
and were sometimes having to determine planning applications without previous
experience or having attended a suitable training course.
RESOLVED:
(1) That the training course on the Code of Conduct be held on Wednesday
22 September 2004 commencing at 7.30 p.m. and that Grenville Weltch (with
Councillor K Percy as reserve) be appointed to represent the Committee at this
training session;
(2) That the training course on Planning Protocol be held on Thursday
30 September 2004 commencing at 7.30 p.m. and that Mary Marshall (with
Councillor K Percy as reserve) be appointed to represent the Committee at this
training session; and
(3) That the concerns of the Committee regarding the need for newly elected
Councillors to receive appropriate training prior to determining planning
applications be drawn to the attention of the District Council.
9. DATES OF FUTURE MEETINGS
The Monitoring Officer reported that the District Council's calendar provided
for meetings of the Standards Committee to be held on 14 October 2004, 24
February 2005 and 14 April 2005.
RESOLVED:
That the scheduled dates of meetings of the Committee during the municipal
year 2004/05 be noted.
CHAIRMAN
Audit and Business Rate Consultative Panel 1 November 1999
107
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Standards Committee 29 July 2004