Agenda and minutes

Venue: Committee Room - 2nd Floor West Wing, Guildhall. View directions

Contact: Gemma Stokley
tel.no.: 020 7332 1407  Email: gemma.stokley@cityoflondon.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies

Minutes:

The Chairman, on behalf of the Committee, welcomed Mr Hayward, the newly elected Common Council Member of the Committee to his first Standards Committee meeting.

Apologies for absence were received from Judith Barnes (Co-opted Member), Virginia Rounding, Anju Sanehi (Independent Person) and Deputy Tom Sleigh.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 1.

2.

MEMBERS' DECLARATIONS UNDER THE CODE OF CONDUCT IN RESPECT OF ITEMS ON THE AGENDA

Minutes:

Deputy Ingham Clark declared a non-pecuniary interest in relation to agenda Item 3 (Minutes of the Previous Meeting), stating that he was a member of the Guildhall Lodge.

Mr Hayward declared a non-pecuniary interest in relation to the same item, stating that he was currently Assistant Secretary of the Guildhall Lodge and, as such, would be taking no part in any subsequent discussion on this matter at today’s meeting.

Deputy Edward Lord also declared a non-pecuniary interest in relation to agenda Item 3 stating that he was a member of the City of London Lodge of Installed Masters.

Dan Large and Mark Greenburgh declared a non-pecuniary interest in relation to the same agenda item, stating that he was a Freemason.

 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 2.

3.

Minutes of the previous meeting pdf icon PDF 202 KB

To agree the public minutes of the meeting held on 7 October 2016.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 3.

Minutes:

The minutes of the previous meeting held on 7 October 2016 were considered and approved as a correct record.

 

MATTERS ARISING

Freemasonry (page 2) – The Town Clerk reported that, at the Committee’s request she had now made further enquiries with the Remembrancer’s Department to ascertain how the use of the Guildhall Crypts by the Masonic lodges was approved and on what grounds they received preferential rates.  The Committee were informed that applications for use of the Crypts by the Masonic lodges were submitted to the Remembrancer as part of the non-Guildhall use report and that the Chief Commoner was also consulted. Whilst the applications were submitted at ‘no user charge’ some lodge meetings did incur additional costs and were charged accordingly. The Town Clerk added that she had been informed that the lodges received preferential rates on the basis that they had clear City of London/Member links.

A Co-opted Member questioned whether the decision to grant usage of the Crypts to the masonic lodges was recorded publicly in any way. He stated that he was concerned about the potential external perception of this and the fact that it might be viewed as an unrecorded benefit. He stated that he would like to ask the City of London to strongly consider this and any associated reputational risks  going forward.

A Member reported that the City’s Finance Grants Sub Committee regularly received details of all benefits in kind for review. He added that there was therefore the opportunity for Member challenge at this stage.

The Chairman, who reminded the Committee that he had disclosed his membership of Guildhall Lodge on previous occasions, suggested that the Committee convey their concerns to the Remembrancer and encourage him to consider making this decision in the public domain going forward and how best this might

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

4.

APPOINTMENT OF CHAIRMEN OF SUB-COMMITTEE pdf icon PDF 64 KB

Resolution of the Policy and Resources Committee.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 4.

Minutes:

The Committee received a resolution of the Policy and Resouces Committee, dated 15 December 2016, concerning the appointment of Chairmen of Sub Committees.

 

The Chairman reported that this resolution had been sent to all Committees to endorse the convention around the appointment of Chairmen of Sub Committees.

The Comptroller and City Solicitor clarified that this was intended to apply to formal, standing Sub Committees which met on a regular basis as opposed to ad-hoc Sub Committees such as those that the Standards Committee were currently required to establish in the event that a complaint was received. He therefore suggested that this Committee’s Assessment, Hearing and Appeal Committees should continue to elect their own Chairmen.

A Member reported that many Committees had referred this resolution back to the Policy and Resources Committee seeking further clarification and context.

 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

5.

Former Officers as Members pdf icon PDF 111 KB

Resolution of the Establishment Committee.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 5.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee received a report of the Comptroller and City Solicitor setting out the main legal and governance issues which arise where former officers are elected as Corporation members alongside a summary of the discussion on this at the January 2017 meeting of the Establishment Committee.

 

The Deputy Chairman, who was also currently serving as Deputy Chairman of the Establishment Committee, informed the Committee that the recent election of a former Chief Officer as a Common Councilman had caused some concern amongst elected Members, particularly the recommendation that this Member should serve on the City’s Planning and Transportation Committee and Property Investment Board, to which he had only recently reported. The Court of Common Council had therefore referred the matter to the Establishment Committee for further consideration.

The Deputy Chairman reported that there had been a lengthy discussion on the matter at the most recent meeting of the Establishment Committee where they had received a report of the Comptroller and  City Solicitor clearly stating that there were no legal grounds on which a former Officer could be prevented from standing or serving as an elected Member Any potential conflicts could be managed through the Members’ Code of Conduct and Protocols. It was also recognised that, once elected, it was a matter for the Court of Common Council to decide on which bodies it might be most appropriate for particular Members to serve.

The Establishment Committee had questioned whether there was a need for formal guidance around this going forward and it was noted that guidance already existed within the current Common Councilmen Job Description.

In response to questions, the Comptroller and City Solicitor reported that any restrictions imposed in Chief Officers contracts seeking to prevent them from becoming Members within a certain period of their employment ending would amount to

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

6.

Terms of Reference and Frequency of Meetings pdf icon PDF 156 KB

Report of the Town Clerk.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 6.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered a report of the Town Clerk concerning its Terms of Reference, the terms of reference of its sub committees and its frequency of meetings ahead of submission of the White Paper to the Court of Common Council on 27 April 2017.

 

The Chairman reminded Members that the Committee were required to review their terms of reference on an annual basis. He went on to suggest that, this year, the discussions around this matter might be held in two stages. Firstly, a decision was required as to what terms of reference were presented to the April 2017 Court of Common Council meeting but, secondly, the Chairman suggested that the Committee might want to adopt their own, longer term, view as to what they would like their terms of reference to look like following full consideration of Mr Bourne’s report.

 

Members disagreed with this suggestion and stated that they felt it would be more prudent to wait for the outcomes of the Working Party’s considerations and any views they might have on this before further reviewing the Committee’s existing terms of reference.

 

RESOLVED – That:

 

(a)        Members approve the Standards Committee’s Terms of Reference for submission to the Court of Common Council on 27 April 2017 and also note that these may be subject to further change pending the outcome of the Standards Regime Review Working Party’s deliberations on Mr Bourne’s report;

 

(b)        Members agree that the Standards Committee continue to meet three times per     annum; and

 

(c)        Members note the scheduled meeting dates for the remainder of 2017 and 2018.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

7.

MR BOURNE QC'S INDEPENDENT REVIEW OF THE CITY OF LONDON'S STANDARDS REGIME

The Chairman to be heard.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 7.

Minutes:

This Item was taken before Item 6 to facilitate discussion on the Committee’s Terms of Reference.

The Chairman reported that, since the last meeting of the Standards Committee, Mr Bourne’s report had been received and was submitted to the Court of Common Council and also circulated to all Co-opted Members and Independent Persons serving on this Committee. The Chairman stated that he felt that the report was, in his view, very well put together and that Mr Bourne had engaged with all of the right people in producing it.

The Chairman went on to inform the Committee that the report had been submitted to the January 2017 Court of Common Council meeting with a covering report from this Committee suggesting that they be permitted to now examine the report in further detail and report back to the Court as to how the recommendations within it might best be implemented at a later date. A counter proposal had, however, been made at the Court meeting suggesting that it would be more appropriate for a separate Working Party (to be drawn up by a Panel consisting of the Chairman of the Standards Committee, the Chairman of the Policy and Resources Committee, the Chairman of the General Purposes Committee of Aldermen and the Chief Commoner) to undertake this task.

The Chairman reported that this Panel had subsequently met and had decided on a list of 10 Members (2 Aldermen and 8 Common Councilmen) who should be invited to serve on the new Working Party.  It was confirmed that there was no specified date on which the new Working Party should report back to the Court with their recommendations at present.

The Chairman invited the Committee’s views on the report at a high level.  

A Co-opted Member stated that he was concerned that the

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

8.

Questions on matters relating to the work of the Committee

Minutes:

There were no questions.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

9.

Any Other Business that the Chairman considers urgent

Minutes:

Nigel Challis

The Chairman, on behalf of the Committee, thanked Mr Challis for his service on the Standards Committee and wished him all the very best for the future. He informed Members that this would be Mr Challis’ last meeting given that he was choosing not to seek re-election to Common Council in March 2017.

 

Mr Challis thanked the Chairman for his kind words and stated that he would continue to follow the work of the Committee with great interest.

 

Member Training

A Co-opted Member questioned what Standards related training would be offered to newly elected Members.

 

A Member reported that the Member Development Working Party had now approved a very full programme of training for any newly elected Members. The Comptroller and City Solicitor confirmed that training relating to the work of the Standards Committee would form a part of this and that the same offerings would also be made to returning as well as new Members.

 

The Committee requested a report to their next meeting detailing what training had been provided to new Members alongside details of attendance and the content of the training.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

10.

exclusion of the public

MOTION – That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 10.

Minutes:

RESOLVED – That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

 

Item No.

Paragraph No.

11

1

 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

11.

RECRUITMENT OF CO-OPTED MEMBER OF THE STANDARDS COMMITTEE

The Chairman to be heard.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 11.

Minutes:

The Chairman updated the Committee on the recent recruitment drive to appoint a new Co-opted Member of the Standards Committee.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.

12.

NON PUBLIC QUESTIONS ON MATTERS RELATING TO THE WORK OF THE COMMITTEE

Minutes:

There were no questions raised in the non-public session.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 12.

13.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS THAT THE CHAIRMAN CONSIDERS URGENT AND WHICH THE COMMITTEE AGREE SHOULD BE CONSIDERED WHILST THE PUBLIC ARE EXCLUDED

Minutes:

There were no additional, urgent items of business for consideration in the non-public session.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 13.