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

None. 

To receive for approval the Minutes of 10/10/2018

RESOLVED:          That the minutes of the meeting of the Standards Committee of 10 October 2018 be approved as a true and accurate record. 

The Monitoring Officer presented the guidance produced by the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) on the use of social media by Councillors. 

The Monitoring Officer informed the Committee that the WLGA recognises that social media plays an increasingly important role in politics and has prepared a guide for Elected Members in relation to its use.  She stated that the purpose of the guidance is to enable Members to benefit from the use of social media whilst minimising the associated risks such as reputational damage and breaching the code of conduct.  Guidance has also been produced to advise Members on how to manage or report online abuse or harassment.

RESOLVED:          That the Committee noted the WLGA guidance.   

The Monitoring Officer presented the Committee with the Ombudsman’s Annual Letter for 2017/18, which details the performance of the authority against an average for local authorities in Wales and with the wider public sector report, which contains statistical information about complaints considered in the year. 

The Monitoring Officer reported that the number of complaints received by the Ombudsman in relation to this Council had decreased during this period by 10% from 44 to 40, with there being no public interest reports against the Council and only 1 case taken forward for investigation.  Complaints regarding Children’s Social Services had halved from 12 to 6 in the past year, however complaints against Environment and Environment Health had increased from 3 to 9.    

RESOLVED:          That the Committee noted the report.            

The Monitoring Officer reported on a summary of cases which had been undertaken by the Ombudsman’s Office for July to October 2018.  The Code of Conduct Casebook is published on a quarterly basis and contains the summaries of all reports issued as well as a selection of summaries relating to quick fixes and voluntary settlements.  The Code of Conduct Casebook contains the summaries of those cases for which the hearings by the Standards Committee of Adjudication Panel for Wales have been concluded and where the outcome of the hearing is known for the period October to December 2018. 

The Monitoring Officer informed the Committee that the Ombudsman attends quarterly meetings with the All Wales Monitoring Officer’s Group and also attends a number of public facing events to promote the work of the Ombudsman’s office.   

RESOLVED:          That the Committee noted the report. 

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 of urgency.

The Minutes relating to the following item is not for publication as it contains 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 this item in private, the public will be excluded from the meeting during such consideration.

To receive for approval the exempt Minutes of 10/10/2018