Agenda and minutes

Agenda and minutes

Venue: the Preston Room, Woodgate Chambers, Woodgate, Loughborough. View directions

Contact: Democratic Services 

Items
No. Item

1.

Appointment of Chair

The Panel will appoint a Chair from amongst its members.

Minutes:

RESOLVEDthatCouncillor Tassell beappointedChairfor themeeting.

 

2.

Disclosures of Pecuniary and Personal Interests

Minutes:

No disclosures of interest were made.

3.

Exempt Information

It is recommended that members of the public be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of the following item on the grounds that it will involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.

Minutes:

RESOLVEDthatmembersofthepublic beexcluded fromthemeeting during the consideration of the following itemon thegroundsthatit willinvolvethelikelydisclosureofexemptinformation as definedin Paragraph1 ofPart1 ofSchedule 12Ato theLocal Government Act 1972.

 

The Monitoring Officer summarized the process and explained there were three concerns which the Panel had requested to be investigated further.  He stated that having considered the Investigator’s report and the views of the Independent Person the Panel was required to determine if:

 

(i)         the Member had not breached the code of conduct and no further action is required;

(ii)        the Member had breached the code of conduct but has taken appropriate steps to remedy the situation and no further action is required;

(iii)       the Member had a case to answer and the Investigator’s report should be referred to a panel of the Member Conduct Committee for a hearing.

 

4.

Findings of an Investigation into concerns raised by several officers about a Borough Councillor (Ref: MC1 2018/19)

To consider a report of the Monitoring Officer to enable the Panel to consider the Investigator’s report relating to a number of concerns which had been raised by officers about a Borough Councillor, as requested following an earlier meeting of the Panel on 26th June 2018.

Minutes:

A report of the Monitoring Officer was submitted to enable the Panel to consider the Investigator’s report relating to a number of concerns which had been raised by officers about a Borough Councillor, as requested following an earlier meeting of the Panel on 26th June 2018. 

 

In response to a question the Monitoring Officer drew the Panel’s attention to the list of interviewees stated in the report and explained that due to the nature and number of concerns raised by officers, he had brought the matter to the Panel’s attention on 26th June 2018, having consulted the Chief Executive and an Independent Person, and in accordance with section 2 (g) of the Monitoring Officer Protocol in Chapter 23 of the Constitution. 

 

          Member of the Panel wished to note that as the Chief Executive and Leader of the Council were aware of these concerns, that they consider intervening if, in future, an occasion arose at a training session or in a committee meeting whereby the questioning of an officer could be construed as personal, bullying or confrontational.

 

RESOLVED

 

1.         that in respect of the concern regarding whether a Councillor acted in a disrespectful and undermining way towards an officer at a Cabinet meeting, that the Councillor had not breached the Members Code of Conduct and no further action is required;

 

2.         that in respect of the concern regarding whether a Councillor acted in a disrespectful and undermining way towards officers at a Member training event that the Councillor had not breached the Members Code of Conduct and no further action is required;

 

3.         that in respect of the concern regarding a Councillor’s communication with an officer of Leicestershire Police in a manner which was disrespectful and undermining towards an officer and to the Council more widely, that the Councillor had not breached the Members Code of Conduct and no further action is required;

 

4.         that the recommendation of mediation put forward by the Investigating Officer not be implemented;

 

5.         that the Monitoring Officer drafts a letter explaining the decisions reached by the Panel and, after agreeing the wording with the Panel, forwards the letter to relevant officers who raised the concerns;

 

6.         that the Monitoring Officer considers implementing a process by which future member training events are chaired and consults with the Member Development Member Reference Group to implement the process by which a relevant and appropriate councillor is identified as the Chair for individual training sessions, and that if one is not available a vote is held at the start of the training session to appoint a Chair; 

 

7.         that the Member Development Member Reference Group considers providing training for officers with respect to presenting to councillors at member training events;

 

8.         that the Member Development Member Reference Group considers implementing a process by which training presentations provided by an external organisation are verified by a senior officer prior to the training session and/ or that the external organisation presents the material;

 

9.         that when Chairing Skills Training is  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.