MAIDSTONE BOROUGH COUNCIL

COUNCIL

27 APRIL 2011

REPORT OF THE GENERAL PURPOSES GROUP

1.           EXTENSION OF TERMS OF OFFICE OF INDEPENDENT MEMBERS OF THE STANDARDS COMMITTEE

1.1.      On 10 March 2011 the General Purposes Group considered a reference from Standards Committee.

1.2.      The Standards Committee consists of six Borough Councillors, four Independent Members and four Parish representatives.  The terms of office of two Independent Members (Mrs Dorothy Phillips and Mr Don Wright) and one Parish representative (Councillor Bill Stead) expire in May 2011. 

1.2.   There is uncertainty regarding the future of the Standards regime following the anticipated abolition of the requirement to have a Code of Conduct and a Standards Committee when the Localism Bill receives royal assent.  In the circumstances, it is considered that the extension of the terms of office of Mrs Phillips and Mr Wright until the Annual Meeting of the Council in May 2012 is a cost effective way to deal with the impending vacancies in the office of Independent Member without having to go through the usual recruitment process.  The extension of Councillor Stead’s term of office for the same period has been raised with the Maidstone Area Committee of the Kent Association of Local Councils.

1.3.   RECOMMENDED:

1.3.1.That the Council agree that the terms of office of Mrs Dorothy Phillips and Mr Don Wright as Independent Members of the Standards Committee be extended until the Annual Meeting of the Council in May 2012 as a cost effective way to deal with the impending vacancies given the uncertainty regarding whatever arrangements might take the place of the current Standards regime.