Agenda item

A joint report of the Town Clerk and Chief Executive and the Comptroller and City Solicitor relative to revised guidance to Members following the Court of Common Council’s approval of a revised Members’ Code of Conduct on 16^th October 2014.

The Committee is asked to consider the draft guidance and comment on other points for inclusion ahead of circulation to Members in December. 

The Committee considered a joint report of the Town Clerk and the Comptroller & City Solicitor relative to the issuing of guidance for Members in respect of the revised Members’ Code of Conduct, which was approved by the Court of Common Council on 16^th October 2014. 

Draft guidance was before the Committee for consideration and Members’ views were sought ahead of circulation to all Members and Co-opted Members with a request, as per the previously agreed annual reminder process, that Members’ Declarations be reviewed and updated ahead of 1^st January 2014. 

It was noted that Members of the Court had been advised that the guidance for Members would include examples of relevant issues in respect of non-pecuniary interests (paragraph 7).  Consequently, it was agreed that the guidance should feature additional examples of relevant clubs/societies requiring registration and examples of fraternal societies such as the Freemasons and the Buffaloes (paragraph 7 (c).  It was agreed that a new paragraph 19 should be introduced to include the various examples. 

With regards to gifts and hospitality that do not need to be disclosed and the guidance to Members at paragraph 21, it was agreed that the reference to garden parties at Buckingham Palace should be amended to read as: “any invitation from Her Majesty The Queen.”  It was agreed that reference to the Chairman of the Planning Committee at paragraph 22 should be amended to read as: “any Member of the Planning & Transportation Committee.”  At paragraph 23, Members agreed that “livery company dinners” should be deleted and in paragraph 23, “exceptional” should be deleted at the second bullet point.

A query was raised regarding hospitality received at major events such as MIPIM (Le marché international des professionnels de l’immobilier) and it was agreed that whilst hospitality provided by the City of London Corporation would not need to be declared, any hospitality received by City Corporation representatives whilst in attendance at MIPIM would need to be declared. 

With regards to paragraph 21, it was agreed that as Members did need to declare relevant gifts and hospitality, the sentence should read as follows: “Gifts and hospitality provided by the Corporation do not need to be disclosed – this will include …”   With regards to the arrangements for ceremonial office holders the Chairman advised the Committee that this aspect would be addressed in separate guidance following the Committee’s discussion at Item 5 of the agenda: Members’ Declarations – Special Provisions for Ceremonial Office Holders.

Resolved:- That –

(i) the amendments agreed by the Committee, as set out above, be incorporated in the Guidance for Members in respect of the Members’ Code of Conduct; and

(ii) delegated authority be granted to the Town Clerk in consultation with the Chairman and the Deputy Chairman of the Standards Committee to approve the final wording of the Guidance for Members in respect of the Members’ Code of Conduct to ensure that the annual reminder to Members to review and update their Declarations, accompanied by the guidance, be circulated at the earliest opportunity so that all Declarations are updated by 1^st January 2015.