Issue - meetings

The Monitoring Officer will advise the Committee of proposed steps to inform Parish Councils of forthcoming changes.

The Monitoring Officer advised the Committee that the Parish Councils would need to be formally advised of the changes that would come into effect from 1 April 2009 in relation to Code of Conduct and other issues involving the Standards Committee.  Members were advised that the Terms of Reference for Cheshire East Committees were being updated by the Governance and Constitution Committee.

Members discussed whether it would be helpful to ask Parish Councils to publicise the work and role of the Cheshire East Standards Committee as well as taking the opportunity to remind them of their obligation to abide by the Code of Conduct and offering assistance with any training needs.

RESOLVED:  That the Monitoring Officer write to the Clerks to the Parish Councils in Cheshire East advising them as follows;

      that Standards issues will be dealt with by the Standards Committee from 1 April 2009 and requesting that they publicise this in any Parish newsletter;

      including a copy of the Standards Committee’s Terms of Reference (if available); and

      reminding them that Parish Councillors are obliged to abide by the Code of Conduct in a similar way to Elected Members of Cheshire East Council.