Agenda and draft minutes

Standards Committee Initial Assessment Hearing Panel - Thursday, 1st August, 2019 2.00 pm

Venue: Cross Room, Civic Centre, West Paddock, Leyland, PR25 1DH

Contact: Coral Astbury Email: castbury@southribble.gov.uk

Items
No.	Item
15.	Apologies for Absence Minutes: None.
16.	Declarations of Interest Minutes: None.
17.	Exclusion of Press and Public To consider the exclusion of the press and public for the following items of business on the ground that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972. By Virtue of Paragraph 1: Information relating to any individual. Minutes: RESOLVED: (Unanimously) That the press and public be excluded for the following items of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedue 12A to the Local Government Act 1972. By virtue of Paragraph 1: information relating to any individual.
18.	Initial Assessment Hearing Report of the Interim Monitoring Officer attached. Minutes: The Panel met to consider a report and background information relating to a complaint made against Councillor A by another member of the Council. The context of the complaint is the attempt by the Council to find a bidder to occupy Worden Hall and the conduct of Councillor A. The Interim Monitoring Officer explained that he had written to Councillor A and had received a response. Subsequent to the receipt of Councillor A’s response the Interim Monitoring Officer spoke to two senior officers in order to try get further clarity over the events in question. Following the officer’s response there seemed to be some discrepancies between what Councillor A had to say and the officers’ version of events. The Panel considered the views of the Independent Person and considered how the situation would be viewed from a Member of the Public’s position. With that in mind, the Panel felt that Councillor A should be given an opportunity to review his response in light of new information provided by the senior officers. RESOLVED: (Unanimously) The Interim Monitoring Officer is to write back to Councillor A to explain the further information given by senior officers. Councillor A is to be invited to reconsider his response in light of the additional information. The complaint will be referred back to the Panel in due course.