Agenda item

The Comptroller and City Solicitor to be heard.

The Committee received a copy of the Local Government Association Model Councillor Code of Conduct 2020.

The Deputy Chair reminded Members that the consultation on this document was now closed and that the final version was now presented for information. It was noted that it would be for the Committee’s successors to pay due regard to the document.

A Member commented that the definition of who was caught by the term Councillor was anyone who sits on a Council Committee or Sub-Committee and has a vote. He remarked that, in some parts of the Corporation, whether someone had a vote or not and whether the vote was restricted in any way (e.g. the ability to vote on substantive items but not on the election of a Chairman) differed as a result of differing terms of reference. He therefore asked the Comptroller and City Solicitor whether he felt that anyone sitting on a Corporation Committee (particularly external members)  were left uncaptured by the Code under this definition.  The Comptroller and City Solicitor commented that all of the City’s Co-opted Members, whether they had a vote or not, were caught by the City Corporation’s own Code but recognised that there was work to be done in future to examine the LGA Code further and compare it with this. Under the new arrangements approved by the Court of Common Council, this would be a matter for the Members Privileges Sub-Committee in the first instance, although it was suggested that it would be best to review this once the new Independent Panel were in place so that they could also be consulted.

RECEIVED.