Issue - meetings

The report of the Monitoring Officer is attached.

The Leader and Portfolio Holder for Strategic and Borough Wide Leadership, Councillor Robinson presented the report of the Monitoring Officer which recommended the appointment of Mr Christopher Richards and Ms Helen Richardson as the Council’s Independent Persons for standards as required by the Localism Act 2011 (the Act). It was noted that on 11 July 2019, Council adopted the Best Practice Principals and recommendations of the Committee on Standards in Public Life (CSPL). Best Practice 7 states: “Local authorities should have access to at least two Independent Persons.” Therefore, the Portfolio Holder asked the Council to support the recommendations in the report to meet its statutory obligations as prescribed by the Act and thanked Mr Baggaley for his work as the Council’s independent person since 2013.

Councillor Moore seconded the recommendations of the report and reserved the right to speak.

Councillor J Walker supported the recommendations in the report and thanked Mr Baggaley for his work as the Council’s independent person since 2013.

Councillor Jones, Mallender and Thomas all supported the recommendations in the report.

It was proposed by Councillor Robinson and seconded by Councillor Moore and RESOLVED that the Council appoint Mr Christopher Richards and Ms Helen Richardson as its Independent Persons for standards under section 28(7) of the Act for a fixed period of two years.