Agenda item

The Monitoring Officer presented the Review of the Protocol on Councillor/Officer Relations report which provide an update on the operation and efficacy of the Protocol, including awareness of the Protocol by Councillors and any actions taken to improve that awareness.

The Monitoring Officer said that the Protocol was to be reviewed by Standards Committee at least once every four years to ensure that it remained fit for purpose. She said that the Council reviewed its entire Constitution on a yearly basis, which the Protocol formed part of, and that no changes had been made to the Protocol since its adoption. It was considered timely to revisit it now in light of the recent Peer Challenge and to also design a training resource specific to the Protocol to ensure that Councillors and Officers were aware of it and its application.

The Monitoring Officer said that every local authority should have its own written Statement or Protocol governing relations between Councillors and Officers.  She referred the Group to the Council’s Protocol at Appendix A which she had reviewed and considered to be aligned with the Council’s Code of Conduct. As such she did not propose any amendments at this time but said that if amendments were made to the Council’s Code of Conduct in the future, then a review would be required to ensure alignment of the Protocol with those changes.

The Monitoring Officer confirmed that a session on conduct and ethical standards had been included in the Councillor Induction Programme following the elections in May 2023, which had included reference to the Protocol. She said that new Officer Inductions also included reference to the Code of Conduct which included reference to the Protocol.

The Monitoring Officer said that the LGA had produced a Councillor Workbook which could be found at Appendix B and suggested that this could be used to inform a training session for both Councillors and Officers, to assist in understanding of each other’s roles and how best to assist each other to achieve the best outcomes for residents.

Ms White – Independent Member raised a number of points, including that both Officer and staff terminology was used in the Protocol, where reference was made to Officers reporting matters to senior managers she suggested that more information be provided as to what that senior should do about it, and where there was reference to signposting that more information be included about this including where and how to signpost. 

Members of the Group noted that there was much information provided in the Protocol and much for new Councillors to learn. The Group wondered whether too much was expected of new Councillors too quickly and whether it be more that they learned over time. Perhaps key information, such as the distinction between County, borough and parish functions, be provided and that signposting to information be provided as required.

Mr Richards – Independent Person said that the Protocol did not mention the relationship between Councillors and the Council as an organisation and thought that it would be helpful if this could be included to help clarify the role of and what the Council offered, for example counselling, to Councillors.

The Chair said that policies were often split into three sections, policy (what the organisation wanted to do), organisation (how it wanted to do it) and arrangement (how it was going to be done).

Councillor Birch referred to social media and said that it was the platform through which Councillors were most likely to receive abuse and how this could have a serious impact on a person’s life. The Monitoring Officer said that the Council did have a social media policy which could be reviewed by this Committee, although it was noted that the policy was tailored more to Councillor’s use of social media rather than dealing with abuse received through it.

Councillor Bird asked about social media being an item at Town and Parish Forum and the Monitoring Officer said that it may be most appropriate for the Council to review it first before taking it to the Forum.

Members of the Group discussed the Standards process and the Committee’s powers to apply sanctions. It was commented that the Committee lacked teeth and had limited powers to sanction but also that that the Council could provide arbitration and mediation and training and education. It was commented that people were often apologetic when they realised that they had done something wrong and that often what people who had made a complaint wanted was an apology, recognition of their complaint and a solution. It was noted that having more teeth would be helpful for those who did not acknowledge that they had breached standards.

It was RESOLVED that the Standards Committee:

a)    Agrees that the Protocol on Councillor/Officer Relations remains fit for purpose

b)    Endorses and provides feedback on the proposed creation of a training resource for Councillors and Officers to promote and maintain effective relations.

The Monitoring Officer referred to preparing a Work Programme for the Committee and said that she would capture ideas and comments from Members of the Group to prepare a programme of work to be taken forward.