Agenda item

STANDARDS COMMITTEE

(Charles Edward Lord, O.B.E., J.P.)

29 November 2013

 

Appointment of Co-opted Members of the Standards Committee

The Standards Committee comprises ten Members, four of whom are Co-opted Members and must be independent from the City Corporation (ie. must not be Common Councilmen).   Whilst Co-opted Members are no longer a statutory requirement, following the introduction of the Localism Act 2011, the City of London Corporation has approved the inclusion of Co-opted Members on the Standards Committee to maximise the breadth of knowledge and experience on the Committee.   Following the introduction of the new standards arrangements in 2012, those serving Co-opted Members were retained in the non-statutory role.

 

Three vacancies for Co-opted Members of the Committee have arisen over recent months following completion of the terms of office of Dr Colin Kolbert, Howard Lederman and Felicity Lusk.  

 

For the purposes of such appointments, a Selection Panel was established by the Court in November 2000 comprising the Chairman of the General Purposes Committee of Aldermen, the Chief Commoner and the Chairman of the Policy and Resources Committee, or their representatives.  The vacancies were advertised on the Guardian Online, Universal Jobmatch, the City AM (on-line) and the City of London Corporation’s webpages between September and October.  Four valid applications were received and considered by the Selection Panel.  The Panel also considered the re-appointment of Felicity Lusk for a further term of office (to expire in December 2017). 

 

It should be noted that the recommendations by the Selection Panel will be considered by your Standards Committee at it’s next meeting which is not until 29th November 2013, a date following the preparation and despatch of this report.

 

However in anticipation of our endorsing the Panel’s findings, the purpose of this report is to seek approval to the recommendation of the Selection Panel that Ms Felicity Lusk and Ms Judith Barnes be appointed to fill two of the existing vacancies, with one vacancy to be appointed to in due course.

 

Ms Felicity Lusk has been a Co-opted Member of the Standards Committee since 15th July 2009 and, we are very grateful for the expertise and service she has rendered to the Committee over the last four years.  Ms Lusk,

•           has over 20 years’ experience as a teacher and, since 1997, as Headmistress of Oxford High School

•         has served on numerous bodies at national, regional and local level in a range of fields including education and the arts

•         has served as a Court Member at Oxford Brookes University

•         was an elected Member at the London Borough of Enfield from 1990 – 94

•         served as one of the Independent Governors of the Guildhall School of Music & Drama between 2000 and 2009.

 

Ms Judith Barnes,

  • has practised as a company/commercial lawyer for over ten years and is currently in charge of her own practice
  • has previously served as a councillor for twelve years
  • has a sound understanding of the City, having practiced as a solicitor whilst she was a partner in Jaques & Lewis
  • worked as a Senior Policy Officer at the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) between 2005/12. 

 

In anticipation of your Standards Committee endorsing the recommendations of the Selection Panel when it meets on 29 November, we will be recommending the appointment of Felicity Lusk and Judith Barnes on the Committee as Co-opted Members of the Standards Committee for four-year terms expiring in December 2017. Should there be any change, your Chairman will report on the position orally.

 

[To be brought into effect, this recommendation requires the approval of a majority of Members and it will, therefore, be necessary to ballot on this item.]

Minutes:

STANDARDS COMMITTEE

Charles Edward Lord, O.B.E., J.P.)

29 November 2013

 

Appointment of Co-opted Members of the Standards Committee

The Standards Committee comprises ten Members, four of whom are Co-opted Members and must be independent from the City Corporation (ie. must not be Common Councilmen).   Whilst Co-opted Members are no longer a statutory requirement, following the introduction of the Localism Act 2011, the City of London Corporation has approved the inclusion of Co-opted Members on the Standards Committee to maximise the breadth of knowledge and experience on the Committee.   Following the introduction of the new standards arrangements in 2012, those serving Co-opted Members were retained in the non-statutory role.

 

Three vacancies for Co-opted Members of the Committee have arisen over recent months following completion of the terms of office of Dr Colin Kolbert, Howard Lederman and Felicity Lusk.  

 

For the purposes of such appointments, a Selection Panel was established by the Court in November 2000 comprising the Chairman of the General Purposes Committee of Aldermen, the Chief Commoner and the Chairman of the Policy and Resources Committee, or their representatives.  The vacancies were advertised on the Guardian Online, Universal Jobmatch, the City AM (on-line) and the City of London Corporation’s webpages between September and October.  Four valid applications were received and considered by the Selection Panel.  The Panel also considered the re-appointment of Felicity Lusk for a further term of office (to expire in December 2017). 

 

It should be noted that the recommendations by the Selection Panel will be considered by your Standards Committee at it’s next meeting which is not until 29th November 2013, a date following the preparation and despatch of this report.

 

However in anticipation of our endorsing the Panel’s findings, the purpose of this report is to seek approval to the recommendation of the Selection Panel that Ms Felicity Lusk and Ms Judith Barnes be appointed to fill two of the existing vacancies, with one vacancy to be appointed to in due course.

 

Ms Felicity Lusk has been a Co-opted Member of the Standards Committee since 15th July 2009 and, we are very grateful for the expertise and service she has rendered to the Committee over the last four years.  Ms Lusk,

•           has over 20 years’ experience as a teacher and, since 1997, as Headmistress of Oxford High School

•         has served on numerous bodies at national, regional and local level in a range of fields including education and the arts

•         has served as a Court Member at Oxford Brookes University

•         was an elected Member at the London Borough of Enfield from 1990 – 94

•         served as one of the Independent Governors of the Guildhall School of Music & Drama between 2000 and 2009.

 

Ms Judith Barnes,

  • has practised as a company/commercial lawyer for over ten years and is currently in charge of her own practice
  • has previously served as a councillor for twelve years
  • has a sound understanding of the City, having practiced as a solicitor whilst she was a partner in Jaques & Lewis
  • worked as a Senior Policy Officer at the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) between 2005/12. 

 

In anticipation of your Standards Committee endorsing the recommendations of the Selection Panel when it meets on 29 November, we will be recommending the appointment of Felicity Lusk and Judith Barnes on the Committee as Co-opted Members of the Standards Committee for four-year terms expiring in December 2017. Should there be any change, your Chairman will report on the position orally.

 

[To be brought into effect, this recommendation requires the approval of a majority of Members and it will, therefore, be necessary to ballot on this item.]

 

Read.

 

The Court proceeded, in accordance with Standing Order No.10, to ballot on the recommendation of the Standards Committee.

 

The Lord Mayor requested the Chief Commoner and the Chairman of Finance Committee, or their representatives, to be scrutineers of the ballots.

 

Resolved – That the votes be counted at the conclusion of the Court and the result printed in the Summons for the next meeting.