Agenda and minutes

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

Contact: Martin Newton
tel.no.: 020 7332 3154  Email: martin.newton@cityoflondon.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies

Minutes:

Apologies for lateness were received from Caroline Addy and Deputy Edward Lord and the Committee noted that Alderman Michael Mainelli would be leaving the meeting at 11.15am.

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

2.

Members' Declarations under the Code of Conduct in respect of items on the agenda

Minutes:

The Chairman declared a non-pecuniary interest in declarations of gifts in item 9 as a Member of the Worshipful Company of Pewterers.

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

3.

Minutes of the previous meeting pdf icon PDF 143 KB

To agree the public minutes of the meeting held on 18 May 2018.

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

Minutes:

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting held on 18 May 2018 be approved as a correct record.

 

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

4.

Minutes of Sub Committee meetings pdf icon PDF 65 KB

To receive the public minutes of the Hearing, Dispensation, Appeal and Assessments Sub Committee meetings that have taken place since the last meeting of the Standards Committee.

 

 

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

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee received the public minutes of the Hearing Sub (Standards) Committee, Dispensations Sub (Standards) Committee, Appeal Sub (Standards) Committee and Assessment Sub (Standard) recent meetings.

 

The following matters were raised:-

 

·         Noted that the minutes of the Hearing Sub (Standards) Committee should list Deputy Jamie Ingham Clark as chairing the meetings.

 

·         The Town Clerk confirmed that the meeting of the Appeal Sub (Standards) Committee on 28 September had been held almost entirely in public session, that the decision of the Sub Committee was that a breach of the code of conduct had taken place, and that these minutes when finalised would be publicly available.

 

·         The Town Clerk undertook to number complaint cases going forward under the new complaints procedure for ease of reference.

 

·         The Committee asked to receive copies of the non-public minutes of the Sub Committee meetings in future.

 

RECEIVED.

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

5.

Dispensations Policy and Guidance, etc pdf icon PDF 58 KB

Joint report by the Town Clerk and the Comptroller and City Solicitor. 

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

Additional documents:

Minutes:

With the agreement of the Chairman, the Committee considered a late, separately circulated joint report of the Town Clerk and the Comptroller and City Solicitor setting out a draft future policy and guidance on dispensations under the Localism Act 2011, revisions to the dispensation request form and proposed alterations to the terms of reference of the Dispensations Sub (Standards) Committee.

 

The Chairman outlined the detailed work undertaken by the Dispensations Working Party that had met regularly during the summer and the Comptroller and City Solicitor then provided further comment on the statutory background to disclosable pecuniary interests (dpis) and dispensations. The Chairman reminded Members that the discussion was to relate to the drafts of the policy and guidance and dispensation request application form, the Dispensation Sub Committee’s terms of reference and the process for gaining acceptance on the policy and guidance from Members of the Court.

 

Detailed discussion then took place on the draft policy and guidance and associated other documentation, during which there were a number of comments by Committee members, including consistency on dispensation requests, particularly relating to Barbican Residential Committee and other committees commenting on the housing governance review, and the proposed future arrangements before the Committee and whether these adequately addressed concerns. Matters raised by Members included procedures to ensure consideration of dispensation requests where business has been added late to an agenda (the Committee were informed that late business had been referred to at the recent Appeal Sub (Standards) Committee and that the Chairman of that meeting would be writing to the Chairman of Standards Committee about it); problems arising from ward members that had undertaken to raise matters at meetings on a colleagues behalf then being unable to attend that meeting and the need for dispensation flexibility because of this; issues that

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

6.

Co-opted Members and Declarations of Interests pdf icon PDF 53 KB

Report by the Town Clerk.

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

Minutes:

The Committee considered a report of the Town Clerk setting out details of outstanding declaration of interests forms by Committee.

 

Discussion ensued and concern was raised at declaration of interest form non-compliance and it was noted that in some cases, depending on the committee, this would be a breach of the Code of Conduct and in some other cases it would also amount to a criminal offence. The Comptroller and City Solicitor undertook to confirm those committees / sub committees subject to the Code of Conduct and the Committee asked that a letter be sent to those relevant co-optees from the Town Clerk / Chairman of Standards Committee informing them that they are in breach of the Corporation’s Code of Conduct and that non-submission of an interests form in 28 days from the date of the letter may result in further action from the Assessments Sub Committee. The Town Clerk was instructed to report back to the Committee at its January 2019 meeting on the outcome. The Committee asked that Chairmen of relevant committees / sub committees also be contacted with a request to raise this matter with the co-optees concerned.

 

RESOLVED – That

 

(a)  the Comptroller and City Solicitor confirms those committees / sub committees subject to the Code of Conduct;

 

(b)  subject to (a) above a letter be sent to those relevant co-optees from the Town Clerk / Chairman of Standards Committee informing them that the Committee is concerned to note that they appear to be in breach of the Corporation’s Code of Conduct and that non-submission of a declaration of interests form in 28 days from the date of the letter may result in steps being taken in relation to any such breach;

 

(c)   Chairmen of relevant committees / sub committees also be contacted

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

7.

Dispensations - Resolutions to Standards Committee pdf icon PDF 41 KB

To consider the resolutions from a) Barbican Residential Committee; b) Community and Children’s Services Committee; and c) Housing Management and Almshouses Sub Committee.

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

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee received resolutions from a) Barbican Residential Committee; b) Community and Children’s Services Committee; and c) Housing Management and Almshouses Sub Committee.

 

With reference to the resolutions, one of which related to a meeting that had taken place in June, the Chairman made the point that discussions firstly at the Dispensations Working Party and during the last item had now gone some way to dealing with concerns raised and that the dispensations policy and guidance would now come before a special Standards Committee meeting open to all Court members. The Chairman expressed concern however at the timescale for communicating resolutions to him and asked that this be communicated to the Town Clerk to ensure this did not happen again in future.

 

The Committee therefore agreed to note the resolutions received. It was also noted that the Chairman of the most recent Dispensations Sub (Standards) Committee meeting had written to the Chairman of the Barbican Estate Residents’ Consultative Committee to respond to concerns raised regarding dispensation requests that had come before that Sub Committee.   

 

RECEIVED.

 

 

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

8.

Standing Order No. 40

Minutes:

The Committee agreed to consider the remaining business after the usual 2-hour meeting deadline.

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

9.

Outstanding Actions pdf icon PDF 48 KB

Report by the Town Clerk.

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

Minutes:

The Committee received a report of the Town Clerk setting out updates on a number of outstanding actions.

 

RECEIVED.

 

 

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

10.

Lord Mayor and Shrieval Gifts and Hospitality pdf icon PDF 464 KB

Report by the Executive Director, Mansion House and Central Criminal Court.

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

Minutes:

The Committee received a report of the Executive Director, Mansion House and Central Criminal Court updating Members on the Lord Mayor and Shrieval declaration of gifts and hospitality for the year 2017/18.

 

The Chairman confirmed that the Executive Director had been unable to attend the meeting due to an important prior commitment.

 

During discussion, a Member asked that further information be included in future reports on who named individuals are to ensure greater transparency. 

 

RECEIVED.

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

11.

Dispensations Requests pdf icon PDF 67 KB

Report by the Town Clerk.

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

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee had before them a report by the Town Clerk on applications for dispensations and, with the agreement of the Chairman, a late application from Deborah Oliver was considered (external member of Police Committee).

 

Deborah Oliver

The Committee considered that a decision should be deferred in order to allow the applicant to complete the section of the dispensation request form that relates to criteria met for the granting of a dispensation.

 

Deputy Robert Merrett

The application from Deputy Merrett (a Common Council appointed member of the Board of Governors of the City of London School for Girls (CLSG)) was to speak and or vote on all CLSG matters, but not vote on any matter that has a direct financial impact to himself as a parent of a pupil, such as school fees. Deputy Merrett’s daughter has recently become a pupil at the school in September 2018.

 

The Committee noted that, at its meeting in August 2018, the Dispensations Sub (Standards) Committee considered a request from another Common Councilman for a dispensation to speak and vote as a member of the Board of Governors of the City of London Freemen’s School, and the parent of two children at that School, on all business before the Board except the setting of school fees, and the award of bursaries from the City of London Freemen’s School Bursary Fund.

 

In considering that application, the Sub Committee noted that as a Common Council appointment, the applicant’s role as a Governor was different to that of a parent governor and therefore his disclosable pecuniary interest was such that a dispensation could only be granted if it met with the criteria set out under the Localism Act 2011.  The Sub-Committee acknowledged the request to participate only in core strategic business and where no direct pecuniary interest

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

12.

Action taken between meetings pdf icon PDF 57 KB

Report by the Town Clerk.

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

Minutes:

The Committee received a report of the Town Clerk providing Members with the details of decisions taken by the Town Clerk, in consultation with the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Standards Committee, since the Committee’s last meeting in May 2018.

 

RECEIVED.

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

13.

Questions on matters relating to the work of the Committee

Minutes:

There were no questions on matters relating to the work of the Committee.

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

14.

Any Other Business that the Chairman considers urgent

Minutes:

On urgent matters, the Chairman accepted a further matter for consideration.

 

·         A Member raised the issue of pastoral care and counselling available for a person suffering stress as a result of accusations made relating to the work of the Corporation and it was noted that this matter had been raised at the recent Policy and Resources Committee where the matter of occupational health and employee welfare was referenced. The issue would be considered at the next Members’ Privileges Sub Committee.      

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 14.