Issue - meetings

The Sub-Committee is invited to consider the Investigation Report in respect of complaint No. CNBC 01/08.

The report of the Borough Solicitor and Monitoring Officer is attached.

The Sub-Committee considered the report of the Borough Solicitor and Monitoring Officer which provided details in respect of a complaint made against a serving Councillor.  This complaint had been received prior to 31^st March 2009 and, in accordance with the transitional arrangements made under the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007, had been transferred to Cheshire East Borough Council for completion.

The report of Mr W R Graham who had investigated the complaint, was submitted.  Mr Graham had concluded that there had been no breach of the Code of Conduct.  The Sub-Committee’s role was to consider the report and in particular, to decide (a) whether to accept the recommendations and the findings, or (b) not to accept those findings and decide other steps which should be taken.  These would include convening a Determination Hearing, or referring the matter to the Adjudication Panel for England, this latter step being dependent on the seriousness of the allegations, if proven.

Having taken into account the report’s content and Members’ obligations under the Standards Committee (England) Regulations 2008, together with relevant Guidance issued by the Standards Board for England, the Sub-Committee was satisfied that it should accept the findings set out in the report.  Accordingly, it was –

RESOLVED:  (a) That the findings of the Investigator’s Report be accepted, namely that there had been no breach of the Code of Conduct by the subject Member;

(b) That there should be no Determination Hearing into the allegations made by the complainant;

(c) That there should be no referral to the Adjudication Panel;

(d) That the subject Member and the complainant be informed of the Sub-Committee’s decision; and

(e) That, in line with the subject Member’s request, no press notice be published.