Issue - meetings

The Senior Legal Adviser, Corporate Governance, introduced his report providing an update on complaints under the Members’ Code of Conduct previously reported as under consideration and received during the period 1 March to 31 August 2022.  It was noted that:

·  At the meeting of the Committee on 14 March 2022, it was reported that five Parish Councillor complaints were being considered.  These had now been concluded.  In two cases no breaches were established.  In the other cases, breaches were established, and the Monitoring Officer had concluded that the complaints should be resolved by way of informal resolution with actions recommended.

·  Since the last report to the Committee, four new complaints had been received against Parish Councillors.  These had now been considered by the Monitoring Officer and concluded.  In two cases no breaches were established.  In one case, a breach was established, and the Monitoring Officer had concluded that the complaint should be resolved by way of informal resolution with actions recommended.  The fourth complaint was withdrawn by the complainant and no further action was taken.  Currently, there were no outstanding complaints.

In response to questions, the Senior Legal Adviser, Corporate Governance, advised the Committee that:

·  Where breaches had been established, the Monitoring Officer had recommended training and mediation which seemed to have had a positive impact since no new complaints had been received since April this year.

·  He would raise with the Monitoring Officer the possibility of including within future reports a table with a running total of complaints covering a period of six to twelve months and identifying whether they related to Borough or Parish Councils and the type of allegations to enable trends to be identified.  If a pattern did emerge, this would be investigated by the Monitoring Officer.

·  The Kent Secretaries Group had produced a draft Kent Code of Conduct for Members of Town and Parish Councils.  Once the documentation was finalised, the options for Parish Councils would be to continue with their existing Codes, adopt the new Kent Code, or adopt their own bespoke Codes of Conduct.  The Monitoring Officer could encourage Parish Councils to adopt the same Code for consistency but did not have the power to compel them to do so.  The question would be raised with the Monitoring Officer as an issue for consideration.

RESOLVED:  That subject to the points raised in the discussion, the report be noted.