Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the previous meeting held on 01 March 2022.

The minutes of the previous meeting (informal and virtual) held on 1 March 2022, were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

An apology for absence was received from Councillor Hayward Burt. Councillor Martin Wale was present as substitute for Councillor Burt.

Councillor Sue Osborne had tendered an apology for late attendance due to being in another council meeting.  

In accordance with the Council’s current Code of Conduct (as amended 26 February 2015), which includes all the provisions relating to Disclosable Pecuniary Interests (DPI), personal and prejudicial interests, Members are asked to declare any DPI and also any personal interests (and whether or not such personal interests are also “prejudicial”) in relation to any matter on the Agenda for this meeting. 

Members are reminded that they need to declare the fact that they are also a member of a County, Town or Parish Council as a Personal Interest. Where you are also a member of Somerset County Council and/or a Town or Parish Council within South Somerset you must declare a prejudicial interest in any business on the agenda where there is a financial benefit or gain or advantage to Somerset County Council and/or a Town or Parish Council which would be at the cost or to the financial disadvantage of South Somerset District Council. 

There were no declarations of interest.

There were no members of the public present at the meeting.

The Monitoring Officer provided members with an update regarding matters considered at the previous meeting, including:

New Member Code of Conduct - this had now been adopted by Somerset County Council, and each of the district councils were due to consider adoption of the Code at their meetings in September. This would streamline the Code across Somerset reading for vesting day of the new unitary authority.

Training for Committee Chairs - an online session was arranged in June and multiple members attended. The session had been recorded in case other members might be interested who had been unable to attend or if anyone wanted a refresher.

Review of the Code of Conduct Complaints Process - this work was now part of the work being undertaken by the governance workstream as part of the transition arrangements to the new Somerset Council. A further update would be provided to the next meeting of Standards Committee.

Recording of Meetings - this work was now also forming part of on-going work being undertaken by the governance workstream as part of the transition arrangements to the new Somerset Council. A further update would be provided to the next meeting of Standards Committee.

The Monitoring Officer presented the Forward Plan as detailed in the agenda. There was no discussion, and members were content to note the Forward Plan.

Members are asked to note that the next scheduled meeting of the Standards Committee will be held on Tuesday 06 December at the Council Offices, Brympton Way, Yeovil commencing at 2.00pm.

Members noted that the next meeting of the Standards Committee was scheduled for 2.00pm on Tuesday 6 December 2022, at the Council Offices, Brympton Way.

(Voting: Unanimous)

The Monitoring Officer will provide Members with a confidential briefing on any complaints received relating to potential breaches of the Code of Conduct.

In confidential session, the Monitoring Officer provided members with a verbal update on complaints received relating to potential breaches of the Code of Conduct.

In confidential session, the Monitoring Officer consulted the Standards Committee and the Independent Members on the next steps in a particular case, and members provided their points of view. During discussion members suggested and agreed some recommendations including potential training, a possible briefing note and some additional standardised text to be added to specific agenda reports.