Issue - meetings

In accordance with paragraphs 2.24 of the Council’s Committee Procedure Rules and Appendix on Public Speaking a total period of 15 minutes is allocated for members of the public to put questions to the committee on any matter relating to this agenda. Each member of the public will be allowed up to two minutes each to speak, and the Chair will have discretion to vary this where they consider it appropriate.

Members of the public wishing to speak are required to provide notice of this at least three clear working days’ in advance of the meeting and should include the question with that notice.

Visiting Councillor Liz Wardlaw attended the meeting and addressed the Committee in her role as Chair of the Scrutiny Committee in respect of agenda item 10) Risk Management Update and 9) Member Code of Conduct Sub-Committee Report (Handforth Parish Council).

Councillor Wardlaw noted her concern in relation to Strategic Risk and Corporate Priority SR2: NHS Funding and Integrated Care System specifically changes to NHS colleagues, the impact of changes on services and residents and the need to ensure budget setting is robust and joined up.

Councillor Wardlaw also noted concern in relation to Risk SR13: Reputation specially the reputation of the council in the wake of negative national interest that related to Handforth Parish Council.  Councillor Wardlaw noted the need to be mindful of relationships with residents and applying professionalism and speed when dealing with enquiries as some feedback from parish councils alluded to a perceived wall of silence from officers and a lack of joined up thinking.

Ashley Comiskey-Dawson, the clerk to Handforth Town Council attended the meeting and spoke in respect of agenda item 9) Member Code of Conduct Sub-Committee Report (Handforth Parish Council).  Mr. Comiskey-Dawson noted the high costs associated with the report before the Committee today arising from an initial complaint emanating over 12-months earlier.  Mr. Comiskey-Dawson had experienced distress during this time but that he had followed up with the Local Government Ombudsman as he felt that a bullying culture was present by elected members at all levels of governance.  He maintained a need for transparency and facts.

Chairman of Handforth Town Council, Councillor John Smith attended the meeting and spoke in respect of agenda item 9) Member Code of Conduct Sub-Committee Report (Handforth Parish Council).  Councillor Smith gave reassurances to the Committee that Handforth had changed the name from Parish to Town in an attempt to rebuild the Town Council devoid of the negative associations it had previously demonstrated.  Councillor Smith noted that in the seven years he had served as a town and parish councillor, he had not experienced the positive partnership working now being demonstrated.

Councillor Smith made two requests to the Committee:

a)    He noted that information had been submitted about him that was inaccurate and requested that 60 pages be removed from the published report in an attempt to discourage the spread of inaccurate information; and

b)    The report contained correspondence that was irrelevant to the investigation and contained insulting comments.  He requested those elements of the report be redacted or removed in its entirety.