To move that under Section 100 (A) (4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public be excluded from the meeting during the discussion of item 7 on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 1 of Part I of Schedule 12A of the said Act:
It is for the Sub-Committee to determine whether or not this item should be considered in public and the report made available for public information. Until a decision is taken, please regard the report as confidential.
Minutes:
Mr Mick Standley, representing former Ware Town Councillor J Taylor, made a formal application for this Standards Sub-Committee meeting to be adjourned. He summarised the reasons for requesting an adjournment and made an allegation of bullying against the Monitoring Officer. He commented on the differences between the versions of the investigator’s report and the difficulties in cross referencing.
The Monitoring Officer refuted absolutely the suggestion of bullying and emphasised that this went against her personal and professional standards. She referred in detail to her email correspondence with Mr Standley.
The Sub-Committee Members left the room with the Monitoring Officer, the Democratic Services Officer and the Independent Person to consider the request for an adjournment. Following this, they returned and the Chairman announced that the Sub-Committee meeting would continue on the basis that all parties were present and had the relevant documents including the investigator’s report. The Chairman stated that all parties had had ample time to prepare a response.
The Chairman further stated that he was not aware of any material differences between the versions of the reports that had been made available prior to this Sub-Committee hearing. He also emphasised that he was not aware of any inappropriate behaviour of bullying on the part of the Monitoring Officer. He believed that the conduct of the Monitoring Officer had been entirely appropriate and the matter had been dealt with by her in an exemplary fashion.
Mr Standley raised a point of order in that he believed that former Ware Town Councillor Taylor’s daughter should be allowed to stay in the meeting should the press and public be excluded. Councillor D Andrews raised a point of order on the basis that as a Member of East Herts Council he could attend any meeting of the Authority conducting any business. The Monitoring Officer stated that it was not cited in the Constitution that any Member could attend any meeting.
The Chairman advised that, if the press and public were excluded, then witnesses would have to leave after addressing the Sub-Committee. All present were reminded that this meeting was a Standards Sub-Committee, hearing tasked with investigating code of conduct matters.
Councillor P Boylan proposed and Councillor T Stowe seconded, a motion that, pursuant to Section 100 (A) (4) of the Local Government Act 1972 as amended, the press and public be excluded during consideration of the business referred to in Minute 9, on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 1 and 7 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the said Act.
The Monitoring Officer emphasised that the release of an individual’s name by Mr Standley before the exclusion of the press and public was not condoned by East Herts Council.
RESOLVED – that pursuant to Section 100 (A) (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended, the press and public be excluded during consideration of the business referred to in Minute 9, on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 1 and 7 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the said Act.
At this point, Councillor D Andrews, the press and the witnesses left the Council Chamber.