Agenda and draft minutes

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To appoint a Chair of the Standards Committee for the 2025/26 municipal year.

Nominations were sought for the position of Chair of the Standards Committee for the 2025/26 municipal year.

Independent Member Kate Robertson proposed Independent Member Maggie Griffiths be appointed as Chair for the 2025/26 municipal year, seconded by Councillor Gordon Hughes.

No other nominations were received.

Resolved: that Independent Member Maggie Griffiths be appointed Chair of the Standards Committee for the 2025/26 municipal year.

To appoint a Vice - Chair of the Standards Committee for the 2025/26 municipal year.

Nominations were sought for the position of Vice-Chair of the Standards Committee for the 2025/26 municipal Year.

Independent Member Peter Lamb proposed Independent Member Samuel Jones be appointed as Vice-Chair for the 2025/26 municipal year, seconded by Councillor Bobby Feeley.

No other nominations were received.

RESOLVED: that Independent Member Samuel Jones be appointed Vice-Chair of the Standards Committee for the 2025/26 municipal year.

No items of an urgent nature had been raised with the Chair prior to the commencement of the meeting.

At this juncture in the meeting the Monitoring Officer gave his thanks to the previous Chair of the Standards Committee, Independent Member Julia Hughes and the previous Vice-Chair of the Standards Committee Independent Member Ann Mellor. The Monitoring Officer expressed his appreciation and gratitude of the Chair and Vice-Chairs hard work and dedication during their two terms of office.

Members of the Standards Committee gave their personal thanks and well wishes were given for the future.

To receive the Standards Committee Terms of Reference (copy enclosed) from the Deputy Monitoring Officer outlining the role and remit of the Standards Committee.

The Standards Committee Terms of Reference (previously circulated) was provided to Members for information as two new Independent Members had been appointed to the Committee.

The Deputy Monitoring Officer welcomed questions from Members on the Terms of Reference.

Members discussed and made the following observations –

·       Section 1.4 should state City, Town and Community Councils.

·       Section 1.5.1 should include only an Independent Member may be the Vice-Chair of the Committee.

·       Section 1.6.8 did not read correctly - ‘the exercise of (a) to (e) above’ referring to sections which were not attached to the Terms of Reference.

·       Section 1.8 referred to the Standards and Ethics Committee, this should read the Standards Committee.

·       Section 1.8 referred to the ‘financial year’, this should be calendar year.

·       Sections 1.9.1 and 1.9.2 did not read correctly referring to sections which were not attached to the Terms of Reference.

The Monitoring Officer noted the errors made and informed the Committee that amendments would be made to the Standards Committee Terms of Reference and be re-circulated to all Members.

RESOLVED: that subject to the above, the Standards Committee Terms of Reference be received and noted.

To receive the minutes of the Standards Committee meeting held on 7 March 2025 (copy enclosed).

The minutes of the Standards Committee meeting held on the 7 March 2025 were submitted.

No matters of accuracy were noted.

Matters arising –

Page 17 (item8) – Minutes of the National Standards Forum – The Monitoring Officer informed the Committee he would ascertain the minutes availability and circulate them to members at that time.

It was:

RESOLVED: that the minutes of the meeting held on the 7 March 2025 be received and approved as a true and correct record of the proceedings.

To consider a report by the Trainee Solicitor (copy enclosed) on the published ‘Our Findings’ page on the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales website.

A report was submitted by the Trainee Solicitor (previously circulated) on the latest case summaries contained in the ‘Our Findings’ section of the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales (PSOW) website and the latest decisions made by the Adjudication Panel for Wales (APW).

The ‘Our Findings’ section covered all matters investigated by the PSOW and not just conduct matters. A summary of each case involving the Code of Conduct complaints investigated for the period from 28 February 2025- 27 May 2025 had been provided, which had been broken down by subject matter as follows –

·       Promotion of equality and respect – 6

·       Disclosure and registration of interest – 2

·       Duty to uphold the law – 1

The outcomes were categorised as follows –

·       No action necessary – 4

·       Discontinued – 3

·       No evidence of breach – 2

The relevant extracts from the ‘Our Findings’ page were attached to the report for ease of reference in Appendix 1 (previously circulated). None of the cases related to a Council in Denbighshire.

Since 28 February 2025 there had been no decisions made by the APW in relation to references from the Ombudsman.

Members discussed public perception of the report, particularly whether an apology would be seen as concluding the complaint. The Monitoring Officer explained that this had been raised by many Standards Committees in the past. The Penn Review of the Ethical Standards Framework had considered whether there was a wider range of sanctions that could be implemented by Standards Committees and concluded that there should be more flexibility around this. This would require a legislative change.

Members questioned if self-referral to the PSOW was one of the training topics for new Members. The Monitoring officer explained it was not currently highlighted in the initial training PowerPoint for Members however, he would consider including self-referral to the training going forward. [GW to action]

Members discussed the difficulties in maintaining standards if the PSOW did not investigate submitted complaints. The Monitoring Officer explained the PSOW had recently changed its procedure of how they dealt with complaints. When the PSOW received a complaint, the Monitoring Officer was notified in writing. Elected members were also informed of a complaint having been received against them and could make representations to the PSOW.

The PSOW applied a two stage test in considering whether or not to investigate a complaint. The PSOW would firstly consider whether there was evidence that a breach of the Code of Conduct may have occurred. The second stage was to consider whether it was in the public interest for an investigation to be conducted.

The Chair thanked the Trainee Solicitor for the report.

RESOLVED: that the contents of the report be noted.

To note the attendance by members of the Standards Committee at County, Town and Community Council and to receive their reports.

The Deputy Monitoring Officer informed the Committee that an action from a previous meeting was to restart visits to City, Town and Community Councils.

The Deputy Monitoring Officer had circulated a list of City, Town and Community Councils which contained details of the last meeting that was observed by Members of the Standards Committee. It was stated in the Standards Committee Guidance that one visit (by each Independent Member) to a City, Town, or Community Council meeting should take place between each formal Standards Committee meeting.

The responses from Members stating which meetings they would like to observe had now been received and once they were reviewed the list of meetings to be observed would be circulated. 

Members questioned if the meetings being observed would be conducted in English or Welsh and if they had translation facilities available. The Monitoring Officer informed the Committee that a Liaison Officer had recently been appointed, and it could be possible for them to contact all Councils to ask if they needed any help in providing translation facilities. [GW to action]

RESOLVED: that the update on attendance at meetings be received noted.

To consider any dispensation requests received from Town/City/Community Councils or at county level.

None.

Councillor Gordon Hughes state that there had been a Dispensation Request submitted by Corwen Town Council. The Monitoring Officer agreed to check and to convene an extraordinary meeting to consider the request, rather than wait until the September Standards Committee meeting.

To receive a report from the Deputy Monitoring Officer (copy enclosed) on the Policies and Procedures which fall within the remit of the Standards Committee including a timetable to review these documents.

The Deputy Monitoring Officer guided members through a report on the Review of Policies and Procedures.

The Standards Committee was responsible for promoting and maintaining high standards of conduct by Councillors and Co-opted Members of the Authority. There were a number of policies and procedures in which supported the Committee in undertaking their responsibilities. The report listed the relevant policies and procedures and the date they would be reviewed and presented to the Committee.

Members were guided through a table of policies and procedures which related to the conduct of members and fell within the remit of the Standards Committee. The policies and procedures would be reviewed over the course of the next 2 years with the first 7 scheduled in for the period up to June 2026.

The Chair thanked the Deputy Monitoring Officer for the report and the table which was provided, and questions were welcomed from Members.

Members sought clarity on how the policies and procedures were prioritised in relation to when they were reviewed and presented to the Standards Committee. The Deputy Monitoring Officer explained the reasons for the prioritised Policies and Procedures stating that the policies and procedures needed modernising, reviewing and renewing. 

Members questioned if there was a record of Local Resolutions Procedures. The Monitoring Officer explained there was not a record however, when the procedure was up for review, he would provide information on this to the Committee at that time.

Members requested that the date of when a policy or procedure was up for review could be added to the table. The Deputy Monitoring Officer confirmed she would add this information to the table of Policies and Procedures. [CR to action]

The Chair thanked the Deputy Monitoring officer for the report.

RESOLVED: that the Review of Policies and Procedures report be received and noted.

To consider the Standards Committee Forward Work Programme (copy attached).

The Standards Committee Forward Work Programme was presented for consideration.

Members discussed the arrangements for the Joint Meeting with City, Town and Community Councils at the Standards Committee meeting scheduled for 12 September 2025.

In order to maximise the relevance of pre-meeting training for the City, Town and Community Council attendees, the Monitoring Officer agreed to identify training content suggestions and to circulate these to members for consideration.

The Code of Conduct for Officers agenda item had been rescheduled to the Standards Committee meeting on the 5 December 2025.

RESOLVED: that the Standards Committee Forward Work Programme be noted.

The next meeting of the Standards Committee is scheduled for 10am, Friday 12 September 2025.

12 September 2025 at 10am.

EXCLUSION OF PRESS AND PUBLIC

RESOLVED: that under Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, the Press and Public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 12 and 13 of Part 4 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.

To consider a confidential report by the Monitoring Officer (copy enclosed) providing an overview of complaints against members lodged with the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales.

The Monitoring Officer submitted a confidential report (previously circulated) providing an overview of complaints against members lodged with the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales since 1 April 2023.

The Monitoring Officer provided a summary of the new complaints notified to the Monitoring Officer since the last meeting of the Committee which included four complaints together with the reasons therefore.  It was noted that two previous complaints also remained ongoing and further information was awaited on the outcome of those investigations. 

Members discussed the recorded start date of when a complaint was received and questioned if it was when the PSOW received it or when the Monitoring Officer received it. The Monitoring Officer explained the start date is when the Monitoring Officer became aware of the complaint after receiving correspondence from the PSOW. The Chair suggested that the column header on the report should reflect this to ensure the accuracy of the timelines of complaints being made.

Members discussed Member training and questioned if Members of the Standards Committee could observe the training. The Monitoring Officer welcomed Members of the Standards Committee observing Member training and would value any feedback.

The Chair questioned if there was a record of the training Members had completed. The Monitoring Officer explained that Member training was recorded and continually updated. If there was a complaint against a Member, the PSOW would request a record of the training that Member had completed prior to making any decision to investigate.

The Chair thanked the Monitoring Officer for the report.

RESOLVED that the report be received and noted.

Meeting concluded at 11.45am.