Venue: On line via the Zoom App.
Contact: Chris Lane 01395 517544; email: clane@eastdevon.gov.uk
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Public speaking Information on public speaking is available online
Minutes: There were no members of the public who wished to speak. |
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Minutes of the previous meeting PDF 246 KB Minutes: The minutes of the meeting held on 21 January 2020 were agreed as a true record. |
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Declarations of interest Guidance is available online to Councillors and co-opted members on making declarations of interest
Minutes: Cllr Phil Twiss, Personal, - Minute 23 – Member of Devon County Council Standards Committee & Governor at the RD&E NHS Hospitals Trust. Cllr Bob Nelson, Personal – Minute 23 – Chairman of Broadhembury Parish Council and Deputy Chairman of Blackdown Hills AONB Partnership
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Matters of urgency Information on matters of urgency is available online
Minutes: There were no matters of urgency. |
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Confidential/exempt item(s) To agree any items to be dealt with after the public (including the Press) have been excluded. Thereare no itemswhich officersrecommendshould be dealtwithin thisway.
Minutes: There were no confidential/exempt items. |
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East Devon's Standards Regime PDF 69 KB Additional documents:
Minutes: Members considered the report of the Monitoring Officer which provided a review of the current standards regime in East Devon and considered it in the context of possible forthcoming changes and recommended best practice following the Committee for Standards in Public Life report of January 2019. It was noted that the Chairman of the Committee had requested an update on whether local authorities were adopting the best practice recommendations. It also explained the complaints process and invited the Committee to consider whether it wanted to review the complaints process as well as the nature of interests that were required to be declared and the level of information disclosed on a member’s register of interest form. The report considered 15 points of best practice put forward by the Committee for Standards in Public Life which the Committee went through individually.
During the lengthy discussions the following points were noted:
RESOLVED: 1. that the Monitoring Officer write a letter, to be agreed with the Chair of the Standards Committee, in reply to the Chairman of the Standards in Public Life correspondence asking about the Council’s implementation of ... view the full minutes text for item 23. |
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Dispensation request by Cllr Paul Hayward PDF 64 KB Minutes: Members noted that Cllr Paul Hayward had requested a dispensation to permit him to participate in and vote on matters in which he has a pecuniary interest, namely the Clerk for three parish councils within the administrative area of East Devon and the employment in the NHS of a relevant person. It was for the Committee to decide whether to grant Cllr Hayward a dispensation.
Members considered Cllr Hayward’s request for a dispensation and some concern was expressed over the future precedent this may set. There was also discussion over how dispensations operated within the legal framework. The committee considered that there were two dispensations in effect, one for Cllr Hayward’s role as a clerk and one for the employment of his wife, who is a relevant person. The Committee did not agree to a dispensation in relation to the employment of Cllr Hayward’s wife, following which Cllr Hayward withdrew his request in relation to his own role.
RESOLVED not to agree to grant Cllr Paul Hayward’s dispensation request under s33 of the Localism Act 2011.
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Code of Conduct complaint update PDF 125 KB Minutes: The Committee considered and noted the report of the Monitoring Officer, which provided an update for the Committee on Code related cases received from 1 January 2019 – 3 & 1st January 2020 to date. There was a brief discussion on disclosable pecuniary interests and the circumstances when they might be referred to the Police. The Monitoring Officer noted that it could be both a criminal matter and also a civil matter (as a breach of the Code of Conduct). Members noted that allegations involving breach of DPI rules, if considered to be made out, could be referred to the police for action.
RESOLVED that the report be noted.
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Forward Plan Minutes: The Committee agreed there were no additional items to add to the Forward Plan. |