Decision details

Further to Minute STA43-20/21, Committee considered a report which presented a draft new Code of Conduct for Councillors, which had been based on the new Local Government Association (LGA) Model Code.  The draft Bolsover District Council Code of Conduct for Councillors was attached to the report at Appendix 1.

The report stated that the draft was based on the LGA model with the following amendments or additions:

·         Provision had been made for the granting of dispensations.

·         The current Code included reference to Councillor’s obligation to attend mandatory training, which was missing from the LGA model.  The current Code included a requirement to attend Mandatory training as listed in an Appendix.  This has been included in the draft.

·         The current Code contained an explanation of Predetermination or Bias.  This had been included in the draft Code.

The Committee was asked to consider the draft Code and to identify any other matters which it felt should be included.

The Committee discussed the draft and made the following comments:

·         Section 8.1 - should be strengthened to stress the importance of training.  It was suggested this could be changed to ‘I will undertake Code of Conduct training provided by the District Council.’

·         Section 10.2 – the limit to register a gift or hospitality should be £25 not £50.

·         Section 13 – end of sentence was missing.

·         Appendix C required the list of training to be copied over from the current Code of Conduct.

The Committee agreed that all Councillors would need to be informed of the contents of the new Code of Conduct and have the opportunity to ask questions.  It was agreed that the best approach would be as a presentation at Council as part of the consideration of the Code which would be referred from this Committee.

The Committee also agreed that all Parish and Town Councils should be written to following the adoption of the Code by the Council to recommend their adoption of the same Code of Conduct.  It was suggested that the Fire Authority could also be included.

The report stated that once Council had approved the new Code of Conduct for Councillors, each Councillor would have to agree to be subject to the Code.  Therefore a letter or email would be sent to each Councillor following Council approval requiring that agreement.

Moved by Councillor Clive Moesby and seconded by Councillor Deborah Watson

RESOLVED – that:

1)            the draft Code of Conduct be noted and the proposed amendments, as set out above, be made to the draft before submission for adoption.

2)            the adoption of the draft Code of Conduct for Councillor be recommended to Council.

3)            training be provided on the new Code of Conduct for Councillors, preferably at a meeting of Council when all Councillors would already be in attendance.

4)            it be recommended to Parish and Town Councils that they adopt the Local Government Association Model Code of Conduct for Councillors.

(Monitoring Officer)