Website Update
The Council’s website was re-branded on 1st October 2009. A dedicated webpage for the Standards Committee has been created, entitled “Councillor Conduct”. The following documents have now been up-loaded –
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Publicity Leaflet on the role of the Standards Committee, created by the Publicity Working Group
This has also been issued to all Parish Clerks, and will be rolled-out to Council contact points and libraries over the next few weeks.
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Complaints Form
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Guidance on Personal and Prejudicial Interests
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Links to other websites; eg Standards for England (formerly Standards Board for England) |
Minutes:
The Council’s website had been re-branded on 1st October 2009 and the following documents had been uploaded –
· Publicity leaflet on the role of the Standards Committee, created by the
Publicity Working Group
· Complaints form
· Guidance on Personal and Prejudicial interests (developed by the Publicity Working Group
It had been reported at the previous meeting that a separate dedicated webpage, entitled “Councillors’ Conduct” or similar would be created in a prominent position on the home-page to enable easy access by members of the public. The Committee was now informed that whilst the page had been added to the website, the route was circuitous and not easily accessible. ICT had advised that for technical reasons and in accordance with guidance on hierarchical navigation, the page could not be featured on the home page.
Members considered that all steps should be taken to ensure that the “Councillor Conduct” webpage received greater prominence. The Committee was reminded that it was an Audit Commission requirement for members of the public to be able to access such information with relative ease.
RESOLVED –
That
(a) the Committee express its concern that, notwithstanding previous efforts, the Council’s website did not afford easy and direct access to Standards Committee information, and to the procedure for registering a complaint against a town/parish councillor or a Borough Councillor; and
(b) that a request be submitted to ICT for a dedicated web-page entitled “Councillor Conduct” to be included on the left-hand navigation pane of the home-page.