Agenda and minutes

To elect a Vice-Chair for the municipal year 2024-25.

RESOLVED –

THAT Councillor Judy Dixey be appointed Vice-Chair of Standards Committee for the 2024/25 municipal year.

To note the Committee’s terms of reference.

RESOLVED –

THAT the Standards Committee’s terms of reference be noted.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Judy Dixey and Andrew Parkinson.

There were no declarations of interest.

Broadcast of the meeting

The Chair to announce the following: ‘In addition to the rights by law that the public and press have to record this meeting, I would like to remind everyone that this meeting is being broadcast live by the Council to the Internet and can be viewed on our website for twelve months after the meeting. After that time, webcasts are archived and can be made available upon request.

If you have asked to address the meeting, you are deemed to be consenting to having your contributions recorded and broadcast, including video when switched on, and to the use of those sound recordings and images for webcasting and/or training purposes.’

Any other announcements

Broadcast of the meeting

The Chair announced that the meeting was being broadcast live by the Council to the Internet and could be viewed on the website for twelve months after the meeting. After that time, webcasts were archived and could be made available upon request. Those who had asked to address the meeting were deemed to be consenting to having their contributions recorded and broadcast and to the use of those sound recordings and images for webcasting and/or training purposes.

Requests to speak at the Committee on a matter within its terms of reference must be made in writing to the clerk named on the front of this agenda by 5pm two working days before the meeting.

There were no deputation requests.

There were no items of urgent business.

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 15 January 2024.

RESOLVED –

THAT the minutes of the meeting held on 15^th January 2024 be approved and signed as a correct record.

Report of the Borough Solicitor.

This report provides an update on Code of Conduct complaints against Members. 

Consideration was given to the report of the Borough Solicitor.

With regard to the complaint that a councillor had not complied with the Seven Principles of Public Life during decision-making, Joyce Golder (Head of Legal Services and Deputy Borough Solicitor) clarified that the complaint did not touch on issues such as dishonesty or fraud but on a difference of political values.

A Member commented on the potential for councillors to get into trouble with the Code of Conduct without realising it. An example was given of providing support to residents approaching a councillor at a ward surgery when they resided in a bordering ward. It was suggested that some residents may approach a councillor in a bordering ward because they shared political values. The Chair offered assurance that all councillors had received approaches from non-ward residents. The best approach would be to provide support but point them in the direction of their ward councillor for future need.

In response to a question about when councillors were informed of a complaint against them, the Head of Legal Services and Deputy Borough Solicitor explained that the Borough Solicitor would first determine whether to take forward an investigation. Where the Borough Solicitor decides to investigate a complaint, councillors would generally be notified unless it was considered that this would inhibit an investigation.

RESOLVED –

THAT the contents of the report be noted.

Report of the Borough Solicitor.

This report invites the Committee to readopt the existing range of standard dispensations available to Members in discharging Council functions, with the addition of making local arrangements for council tax support, in accordance with the Localism Act 2011 and the Councillor Code of Conduct.

Consideration was given to the report of the Borough Solicitor.

In response to questions, the Head of Legal Services and Deputy Borough Solicitor confirmed that Members were required to register tenancies, leaseholds and private rented accommodation within Camden. It was noted that the general dispensation did not relieve the Member of declaring an interest at a meeting. If a Member was in doubt about whether an interest fell under the categories of Statutory Disclosable Pecuniary Interest or Compulsory Registerable Non-Pecuniary Interest, it could be registered under Voluntary Registerable Non-Pecuniary Interests.

RESOLVED –

(i)               THAT authority be delegated to the Borough Solicitor to, upon application by Members, grant a dispensation for four years from the date of this Committee, for Members to participate and vote in the following matters, irrespective of them otherwise having a Statutory Disclosable Pecuniary Interest:

a)    housing, where the Member is a tenant of Camden or a housing association tenant, provided that any function/decision does not relate particularly to the Member’s tenancy or lease;

b)    school meals or school transport and travelling expenses, where the Member is a parent or guardian of a child in full time education, or are a parent governor of a school, unless the matter relates particularly to the school which the child attends;

c)    statutory sick pay under Part XI of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992, where the Member is in receipt of, or is entitled to the receipt of, such pay;

d)    an allowance, payment or indemnity given to Members;

e)    any ceremonial honours given to Members; and

f)      setting council tax or precept under the Local Government Finance Act 1992 or local arrangements for council tax support.

(ii)             THAT it be noted that such dispensation does not relieve the Member of the obligation to declare the interest or have such interest registered in accordance with the Councillor Code of Conduct.

Report of the Borough Solicitor.

The Register of Interests form for councillors was last revised in March 2022 following the approval by Council of a new Councillor Code of Conduct. The revised form incorporated the new categories of interests as established in the Code. Following a review of the current form and approach to registering the interests of a councillor’s spouse/partner or relevant others, this report recommends the reformatting of the form to enhance openness and provide a reminder to councillors and co-opted Members of their obligations.

Consideration was given to the report of the Borough Solicitor.

There was a discussion on the threshold for declaring gifts and hospitality with suggestions that £25 was too low. The Chair noted that it had been reduced from £100 a few years previously as the Committee had considered it would be preferable for more gifts and hospitality to be covered by the requirement. The Head of Legal Service and Deputy Borough Solicitor commented that, having worked in a number of local authorities, around £20-30 had been a standard threshold figure. It was felt that for the purpose of illustrating propriety the lower threshold was appropriate.

Concern was expressed that spouses and partners were not necessarily involved in party politics and could feel that their privacy was being breached by the requirement for their interests to be registered. The Head of Legal Services and Deputy Borough Solicitor reminded the Committee that it was a statutory requirement based on the interests of a spouse/partner being considered to belong to the councillor. It was noted that councillors had the option for requesting an interest to be withheld as sensitive where it could result in violence or intimidation if published. Members requested that the change be monitored for any concerns raised over the next year.

ACTION: Borough Solicitor

In response to a question on whether positions on Boards which attract an allowance should be registered, it was confirmed that as a pecuniary interest this would need to be registered. Members were advised that, if they had any questions about a potential interest, they could ask the Borough Solicitor for advice.

RESOLVED –

(i)             THAT the proposed revisions to the Register of Interests form be noted and comments summarised above;

(ii)            Subject to the comments above:

a)    THAT the proposed revised Register of Interests form as set out at Appendix B to the report be approved;

b)    THAT the proposed revised Guidance to completing the Register of Interests form as set out at Appendix D to the report be approved; and

c)    THAT the Borough Solicitor be requested to circulate the revised form and guidance to all Members and co-opted Members, and update existing forms published on the Camden Council website as outlined in paragraph 2.4 of the report.

Report of the Borough Solicitor.

This report brings to Members’ attention recent standards news items for information and updates on actions from the previous Standards Committee meeting.

Consideration was given to the report of the Borough Solicitor.

The Chair noted the need for councillors to behave appropriately with officers.

RESOLVED –

THAT the contents of the report be noted.

Report of the Borough Solicitor.

This report sets out the record of standards information and guidance issued to Members of the Council. 

Consideration was given to the report of the Borough Solicitor.

RESOLVED –

THAT the record of standards guidance be noted.

There was no urgent business.