Agenda and minutes

To provide an opportunity for Members and Officers to declare any personal and/or prejudicial interests in any item on the agenda.

No declarations of interest were made.

In accordance with Procedure Rules Nos. 11 and 35 a total period of 10 minutes is allocated for members of the public to address the Committee on any matter relevant to its work.

Individual members of the public may speak for up to 5 minutes but the Chairman will decide how the period of time allocated for public speaking will be apportioned where there are a number of speakers.

Members of the public should provide three clear working days notice, in writing, if they wish to ask a question at the meeting, in order for an informed answer to be given. It is not required to give notice of the intention to make use of public speaking provision;  however, as a matter of courtesy, a period of 24 hours’ notice is encouraged.

In accordance with Procedure Rules Nos. 11 and 35, a total period of 10 minutes was allocated for members of the public to address the Committee on any matter relevant to its work.

There were no members of the public present and the Committee, therefore, proceeded to its next business.

To approve the Minutes of the meeting held on 29^th March 2010.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 29^th March 2010 be approved as a correct record, subject to the following amendment –

Minute No. 99 – Bribery Bill –

            Third paragraph, line 5 –      delete “improver”

                                                            Insert “improper”

The Committee is invited to approve a Work Programme for 2010-2011.

The Committee considered the report of the Monitoring Officer which invited Members to agree a work programme for 2010-2011.

RESOLVED:

That the Work Programme set out in the appendix to the report be adopted, together with the inclusion of the following item –

·         Development of a protocol on use of ICT equipment by elected Members.

To consider the report of the Monitoring Officer which outlines progress to date on the development of a Standards Partnerships Protocol.

Standards for England had worked with Manchester City Council to develop a protocol for values and behaviours for use within partnerships.  This had been reported to the Standards Committee on 23^rd November 2009, at which time, a Member/Officer Working Group had been established with the aim of developing a Partnerships Protocol for use within Cheshire East.

The Working Group had revised the draft Protocol issued by Standards for England and had submitted the revision to the Local Strategic Partnership Executive meeting held on 12^th April 2010 for comment. The Executive considered that it required additional time to consider its impact on statutory services such as Children and Adult Services as well as Safer Communities in terms of access to confidential material.  

A further meeting of the Executive (held on 17^th May 2010) would reconsider the document, following which, if appropriate, a further meeting of the Working Group would be convened.  A report on progress would be submitted to the July meeting.  

RESOLVED:

That the Committee receive the report and endorse the progress made.

To consider the report of the Monitoring Officer on any training requirements for Members in general and for Members of the Committee.

The Committee considered the report of the Monitoring Officer which invited Members to identify training needs to promote the ethical framework.

The following were suggested for inclusion, as appropriate, during the course of the year –

·         Chairmen’s training in respect of the process/procedures for Assessment/Review Sub-Committee and Hearings Sub-Committee 

·         Overall basic planning training (probity in planning) for the Independent and Parish Council representatives of the Committee

It was noted that an invitation would be extended to the Independent/ Members/Parish representatives of the Committee to attend any of the more detailed planning training sessions arranged for Cheshire East Councillors.

It was noted that at the conclusion of the meeting, Members of the Committee would be able to view the DVD “Assessment Made Clear”.

RESOLVED:

(a)               That the report be noted; and

(b)               That training events be organised as appropriate throughout the year.

To receive the notes of a meeting of the “Issues and Ideas” Working Group.

The Committee received for information the Vice-Chairman’s report of a meeting  of the “Issues and Improvements” Working Party held on 11^th May 2010.

RESOLVED:

That the report of the “Issues and Improvements” Working Party be noted.

The report relating to the remaining item on the agenda has been withheld from public circulation and deposit pursuant to Section 100(B)(2) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the grounds that the matters may be determined with the public and press excluded.

The Committee may decide that the public and press be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item pursuant to Section 100(A)4 of the Local Government Act 1972 on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 1, 2 and 10 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 and the public interest would not be served in publishing the information.

RESOLVED:

That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item, pursuant to Section 100(A)4 of the Local Government Act 1972 on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 1, 2 and 10 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 and the public interest would not be served in publishing this information.

To report receipt of complaints made against Borough, Town or Parish Councillors.

The Committee received a report about a complaint made against a serving Cheshire East Councillor.

The complaint had been considered by an Assessment Sub-Committee on 24^th March 2010, at which time the matter had been referred to the Monitoring Officer for action other than an investigation.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.