Agenda and minutes

The Panel will appoint a Chair from amongst its members.

RESOLVED that Councillor Murphy be appointed Chair for the meeting.

For information, disclosable pecuniary interests and registrable interests relate to entries that are included, or should be included, on a councillor’s register of interests.  Non-registrable interests relate to any other matters.

There were no disclosures of interest.

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.

RESOLVED that members of the press and 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.

The Democratic Services Officer stopped the sound recording.

To consider a report of the Monitoring Officer enabling the Panel to determine a complaint of a breach of the Members’ Code of Conduct against a Borough Councillor.

A report of the Monitoring Officer was considered to determine a complaint of a breach of the Members’ Code of Conduct against a Borough Councillor.

The Deputy Monitoring Officer, the Investigating Officer and Independent Person attended the hearing to assist the Panel in its consideration of the complaint.

In accordance with the procedure for dealing with complaints, the Panel was asked to determine a complaint of a potential breach of the Members’ Code of Conduct of Charnwood Borough Council as set out in the report of the Monitoring Officer, and to decide whether they amounted to a breach of the Code of Conduct by the Borough Councillor, and if so, whether it felt it was appropriate to recommend the imposition of sanctions.

Administration of the Panel

The Chair explained the order of proceedings and all present confirmed they understood the procedure. It was established that nobody present was aware of any interests or other reason which could prejudice the ability of the Panel to hold a fair hearing and make a sound determination on the matters in question.

It was confirmed that the Investigating Officer and the Borough Councillor would not be calling witnesses and that the Councillor would be represented by another Councillor.  All present indicated they were happy to proceed on this basis.

The Investigating Officer, the Councillor’s representative and the Independent Person presented their views.

The Panel  and the Deputy Monitoring Officer withdrew to consider the evidence in private.

Once all parties had returned to the room, the Chair of the Panel announced the Panel’s decision.

RESOLVED that the Borough Councillor had not breached paragraphs 3.5 and 3.6 of the Members’ Code of Conduct.

Reason

For the reasons as set out in the exempt minutes.