Agenda item

To elect a Deputy Chairman in accordance with Standing Order No. 30.

The Town Clerk reported that, in accordance with Standing Order No. 30. (3) (a), the immediate past Chairman had chosen to exercise his right to serve as Deputy Chairman for the ensuing year.

Edward Lord was therefore duly appointed as Deputy Chairman for the ensuing year.

         VOTE OF THANKS TO THE PAST CHAIRMAN

Nigel Challis paid tribute to Edward Lord, the past Chairman.

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: 

That the Members of the Standards Committee wish to place on record their sincere appreciation to

CHARLES EDWARD LORD, OBE JP

for the courteous and conscientious manner in which he has carried out the duties of Chairman of this Committee since June 2013. He has shown great leadership in steering the Committee through a significant period of change over the past three years.

UNDER Mr Lord’s chairmanship, an initially controversial revision of the Members’ Code of Conduct, which included the introduction of a mandatory registration regime for gifts and hospitality and non-pecuniary interests, was put to and passed overwhelmingly by the Court of Common Council in October 2014, with the new requirements coming into effect as of 1st January 2015.

THE Committee also examined how best to record the gifts and hospitality received by the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs, as well as ensuring that Co-opted Members of Corporation Committees properly record their interests.

THIS past year the Committee has also, for the first time, regrettably, had to hold Hearing and Appeal Sub Committee meetings in respect of an allegation of a breach of the Members’ Code of Conduct made to them at the end of 2015. Mr Lord was instrumental throughout this process, chairing both the initial Assessment Sub Committee and the Hearing Sub Committee. Many lessons have been learnt from this process and these will go on to inform the future work of the Committee in these areas.

IN taking their leave of their Chairman, his colleagues are united in conveying to Edward Lord their thanks for the contribution he has made to their deliberations and hope that he will retain happy memories of his time as their Chairman.