Agenda item

Report of the Comptroller and City Solicitor.

The Committee received a report of the Comptroller and City Solicitor summarising the attendance of members at recent training sessions offered on the Code of Conduct.

The Comptroller and City Solicitor reminded the Committee that they had requested this report at their last meeting. He reported that, since writing this report, one further training session had taken place and that this had been attended by two elected Members. He commented that attendance amongst newly elected Common Councilmen at these sessions was fairly disappointing.

A Member, who also currently sat on the City’s Member Development Steering Group, commented that the attendance at the July and September Code of Conduct Sessions was actually comparatively high compared with many other sessions that had been offered. She did, however agree that the new Member level of attendance at these sessions was disappointing. She suggested that, if any training could be made mandatory, it should be this given its increasing importance to those who were publically elected.

The Town Clerk confirmed that all 26 newly elected Members had completed and submitted their Register of Interest and Non-Pecuniary Interest forms within the statutory deadline and that all details had been published on the public facing website.

The Committee suggested that the Chairman write to all newly elected members who were yet to attend a Code of Conduct training session underlining its importance and centrality to their role. It was suggested that he should also ask Ward Deputies to encourage new Member attendance at future sessions.

RECEIVED.