Agenda and minutes

It was proposed and seconded that Mrs P. Posnett MBE CC be appointed Chairman.  There were no other nominations.

Mrs P. Posnett CC in the Chair

There were no urgent items of business.

There were no declarations of interest.

The public are likely to be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item of business in accordance with Section 100(a) of the Local Government Act 1972:

-         Complaint under the Members’ Code of Conduct against an elected Member of the County Council.

It was moved by the Chairman, seconded and carried:

“That under Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972 the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 1 and 10 of Part I of Schedule 12(a) of the Local Government Act 1972.”

The Panel considered an exempt report of the Monitoring Officer regarding the outcome of an early assessment undertaken by her in respect of a complaint made about the conduct of an elected member. The report indicated the available options to the Panel under the Council’s Procedure for dealing with Member Conduct Complaints.  A copy of the report is filed with these minutes.

The report was not for publication as it contained information relating to an individual.

The Member who was the subject of the complaint, with the permission of the Panel, attended as an observer during the presentation of the Monitoring Officers report then left the meeting.

The Chairman welcomed Mr Grimes, the independent person, to the meeting.  At the request of the Panel, Mr Grimes outlined his view on the complaint received.

RESOLVED:

(a)  That the early assessment report of the Monitoring Officer be noted;

(b)  That the complaint received against the elected member be referred for investigation, such investigation to be completed by the end of January 2025.