Agenda item

To consider a report by the Deputy Monitoring Officer (copy attached) on the draft protocol.

A copy of a report by the Monitoring Officer (MO), on the draft protocol similar to the County Council version but adjusted to take into consideration the size, composition and resources of Community Councils, had been circulated with the papers for the meeting.

The Committee had been involved in the development of a Self Regulatory Protocol (SRP) at County Council level.  The PSOW had recommended that SRP’s at a community level ought to be developed in due course.  No specific timescale had been set and the option of adopting was one for each Town, City and Community Council.

The draft protocol had been included as Appendix 1, together with outline principles.  It had not been suggested that the protocol should be much more detailed than this as the process was designed to be paper light, with the emphasis on face to face discussions, mediation and compromise of disputes or issues in a conciliatory manner. 

It was explained that the Standards Committee may consider that their role should be greater, or less and a steer on this matter had been sought.  The input of the MO would be minimal as the issue was one of the resolution of low level disputes which ought to be able to be dealt with locally at a community level, or with the assistance of a peer review approach with support from a neighbouring or other Community Council; a reference to the full Standards Committee shall be a last resort.  The DMO referred to Page 131 of the agenda and provided a summary of Appendix 1 the draft Member’s Self Regulatory Protocol.     

Councillor W.L. Cowie explained that he was pleased with the report which he felt could assist Clerks and Members of all CTCC’s with the induction process.  The Chair suggested that the Standards Committee might recommend that an induction process be introduced for any newly appointed Councillors.  Independent Member Anne Mellor (AM) suggested that consideration be afforded to newly appointed Councillors visiting other Councils to witness proceedings. 

The Chair felt that Standards Committee Members should only become involved in the process as last resort, with a view to not escalating matters.  He explained that such involvement could prejudice a Member, and exclude them from adjudicating on the proceedings of a Standards Committee at a later stage in the process.

In response to suggestions made by Members of the Committee, the following amendments to the General Principles of the Member’s Self Regulatory Protocol were agreed:-

·                 Bullet Point 1 be reworded.

·                 Bullet Point 2, “not for complaints” be amended to read “and is not applicable for complaints”.

·                 Bullet Point 7, the word “will” be removed.   

Independent Member Julia Hughes (JH), suggested that clarification be included in the Flowchart that the Code was applicable to City, Town and Community Councils and not just Community Councils.  Councillor M.Ll. Davies advocated that the word Councils be used when referring to CTCC’s, and County Council be used when referring to issues pertaining only to the County Council.

During the ensuing discussion the DMO agreed that, following the inclusion of the suggested amendments, the draft Member’s Self Regulatory Protocol be presented to the Clerks Cluster meeting to ascertain their views, prior to being resubmitted to the Standards Committee for consideration.  

RESOLVED – that the Standards Committee:-

(a)            receives the draft Member’s Self Regulatory Protocol.

(b)            agrees that the above amendments be included, prior to submission of the draft Member’s Self Regulatory Protocol to the Clerks Cluster meeting, and

(c)            requests that that a further report be presented to the Standards Committee.

             (LJ to Action)