Agenda and draft minutes

Appointment of Vice–Chair for 2025/2026

It was moved by Councillor Smith and seconded by Councillor Parsad-Wyatt, that Councillor Clements be appointed Vice-Chair of the Standards Committee for 2025/26. After being put to the meeting and a vote taken, the motion was declared CARRIED.

RESOLVED – that Councillor Clements be appointed as Vice-Chair of the Standards Committee for 2025/26.

To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Burt and Councillor Furness. It was noted that Councillor Carter was substituting for Councillor Burt.

Councillor Smith asked that it be noted that she had apologised for missing the meeting on 28 January 2025 due to a technical error with a new mobile telephone.

Minutes – Standards Committee – 28^th January 2025 (Pages 5 – 15)

Councillor Stowe proposed, and Councillor Parsad-Wyatt seconded, a motion that the Minutes of the meeting held on the 28 January 2025 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

RESOLVED: that the minutes of the meeting held on the 28^t January 2025, be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

Chair’s Announcements.

There were no Chair’s announcements

Declarations of Interest.

There were no declarations of interest.

Standards Update (Pages 16 - 19)

The Director of Legal, Policy and Governance and Monitoring Officer submitted a report that updated Members of the Committee on the standards complaints that had been received during the last six months.

The Director of Legal, Policy and Governance and Monitoring Officer opened by congratulating Councillor Clements on his appointment as Vice-Chair.

The Director of Legal, Policy and Governance and Monitoring Officer reiterated the purpose of the Standards Committee. He said that Members who were familiar with the report would be aware that there was usually around 6 - 7 issues included. He said that over the last 6 months there had been no reported issues, as everyone had been impeccably behaved.

The Director of Legal, Policy and Governance and Monitoring Officer said that the one issue reported in 2025 had been investigated, and that the independent advisor had identified no breach.

Councillor Parsad-Wyatt agreed with the Director of Legal, Policy and Governance and Monitoring Officer, and congratulated all East Herts Councillors for being on their best behaviour. He said that following on from the meeting held in July 2024, he thought that it had been agreed moving forward that any complaints from a resident, Parish Council or District Council would be shared, in order to give the Committee the context on the type of behaviours involved, as long as the information disclosed did not identify the individual.

The Director of Legal, Policy and Governance and Monitoring Officer apologised for not including this information, he said that he did not recall this specific action, but he did however recall that withdrawn complaints would be added to the report moving forward.

The Director of Legal, Policy and Governance and Monitoring Officer Members gave a verbal report on the one complaint which was from a resident towards a District Councillor.

Councillor Clements asked if the large turnover of councillors in the last couple of years had resulted in a difference in behaviours from councillors, thus resulting in fewer complaints. The Director of Legal, Policy and Governance and Monitoring Officer stated that in his five and a half years tenure, he had not known of a lower level of complaints, and that hoped that the cycle of good conduct would continue.

Councillor Carter asked for an update on how the legislation in Standards Committees would operate under the proposed unity authority working and asked if the process would change.

The Director of Legal, Policy and Governance and Monitoring Officer said that if the unity authority was set up tomorrow the legislation would be the same. He said that the current government were looking at changing the standards regime, particularly around repercussions of complaints that were upheld against councillors.  He said that the current strongest sanction was censure, no matter how egregious the breach was. He said that central government were looking at introducing additional, and more vigorous sanctions, such as suspensions and exclusions from committees.

The Director of Legal, Policy and Governance and Monitoring Officer referred Members to the independent person who stated  ...  view the full minutes text for item 114.

To consider such other business as, in the opinion of the Chair of the meeting, is of sufficient urgency to warrant consideration.

There was no urgent business.