Agenda

To receive any apologies for absence from any Members of the Committee.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 15 November 2023 as an accurate record.

Members are invited to declare any disclosable pecuniary interests (DPIs) they may have in relation to any item(s) of business on today’s agenda.

To receive notice of any business not on the agenda which in the opinion of the Chair, by reason of special circumstances, be considered as a matter of urgency.

To consider the Committee work programme for the remainder of the Municipal Year.

Members must comply with the Members’ Code of Conduct including the requirements around declaring gifts and hospitality. Appendix A to this report provides the details of gifts and hospitality declared by Members since the Committee was last updated on declarations of this nature.

The Council has determined that the Ethics Committee shall be responsible for receiving and considering reports on matters of probity and ethics.

The Council has determined that the Ethics Committee shall be responsible for receiving and considering reports on matters of probity and ethics.

The Council has determined that the Ethics Committee shall be responsible for receiving and considering reports on matters of probity and ethics and to consider matters relating to the Code of Conduct.

The Ethics Committee, on the 19 April 2023, due to a vacancy which had arisen, agreed to commence a recruitment process under the provisions of the Localism Act 2011 to ensure a sufficient pool of Independent Persons.

It is a function of Ethics Committee, among other matters to support the statutory role of the Monitoring Officer as set out in Article 9 of the Constitution, including the promotion of high standards of Member conduct and receiving reports from the Monitoring Officer on matters of probity and ethics.

The following motion is to be moved and seconded where it is proposed to exclude the press and public from the remainder of a meeting:

“That, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act, 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information falling within those paragraphs indicated in Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended.”

The Council has determined that the Ethics Committee shall be responsible for receiving and considering reports on matters of probity and ethics.