To receive apologies for absence (to include reasons, where appropriate) from Members / Officers).

Apologies for absence were received from the following member of the Committee for the reason so stated:

Councillor RJ Hancock – Holiday.

To receive declarations of personal and prejudicial interest (if any) from Members / Officers in accordance with the provisions with the Members’ Code of Conduct adopted by Council on 1 September 2008.

The following personal Declarations of Interest were made in respect of agenda item 8 – Shortlisting of Candidates for the Position of Town & Community Councillor and Independent Members on the Standards Committee:

Councillor RD Jenkins – As he knew of one of the candidates applying for the position of Town / Community Councillor on the Standards Committee.

Councillor DRW Lewis - As he knew of the candidates applying for the position of Town / Community Councillor on the Standards Committee.

Mr J Bevan - As he knew of one of the candidates applying for the position of Town / Community Councillor on the Standards Committee.

Mrs B Heller - As she knew of one of the candidates applying for the position of Independent Member on the Standards Committee.

Ms M Powel - As she knew of one of the candidates applying for the position of Independent Member on the Standards Committee.

To receive for approval the Minutes of the Standards Committee of 26 March 2015.

RESOLVED:              That the minutes of the meeting of the Standards Committee of 26 March 2015 be approved as a true and accurate record.   

The Monitoring Officer reported that the Committee at its meeting on 16 January 2015 had received a report which informed of proposals made by the Ombudsman to revise the Guidance on the Code of Conduct for Local Authority Members.  He stated that the Ombudsman had proposed a further public interest test be considered when deciding whether to investigate a complaint or whether to continue an investigation of a breach of the Code to the stage of referring the matter to the Adjudication Panel for Wales.

The Monitoring Officer reported that the Ombudsman had issued a new test which had changed as a result of complaints received from Monitoring Officers in Wales.  He stated that in determining whether to investigate a complaint or whether to continue an investigation of a breach of the Code a two stage test will be applied.  At the first stage, the Ombudsman will aim to establish whether there is direct evidence that a breach actually took place and if the evidential test was met, at the second stage, consideration would be given as to whether an investigation or a referral to a Standards Committee or the Adjudication Panel for Wales is required in the public interest.

The Monitoring Officer highlighted some of the public interest factors that the Ombudsman will consider which were set out in the new Code of Conduct.  He stated that the Ombudsman had determined that if it was felt a case did not warrant a sanction, the case would not be referred to the Monitoring Officer.

The Monitoring Officer informed the Committee that he would be reporting the new Code of Conduct to Council.

RESOLVED:               That the Committee noted the new Code of Conduct Guidance.                

To consider any item(s) of business in respect of which notice has been given in

accordance with Rule 4 of the Council’s Procedure Rules and which the person presiding at the meeting is of the opinion should by reason of special circumstances be transacted at the meeting as a matter urgency.

There were no urgent items.

The minutes and report relating to the following items are not for publication as they contain exempt information as defined in Paragraph 12 of Part 4 and Paragraph 21 of Part 5 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information)(Variation)(Wales) Order 2007.

If following the application of the public interest test the Committee resolves pursuant to the Act to consider these items in private, the public will be excluded from the meeting during such consideration.

RESOLVED:                That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) (Wales) Order 2007, the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item of business, as the report contains exempt information as defined in Paragraph 12 of Part 4 of Schedule 12A and Paragraph 5 of Schedule 12A of the Act:-

                                      Following the application of the public interest test it was resolved that pursuant to the provisions of the Act referred to above, to consider the under-mentioned items in private with the public being excluded from the meeting as it would involve the disclosure to them of exempt information as stated above.

Minute No.                    Summary of Item:

Exempt minutes of the Standards Committee of 26 March 2015

Shortlisting of Candidates for the position of Town and    Community Councillor and Independent Member on the  Standards Committee.                     

To receive for approval the exempt Minutes of the Standards Committee of 26 March 2015.