Andrew Williams (NYCC appointed)

What does the Committee do?

General Functions

1.    Promote and maintain high standards of conduct by the Members of the  Authority.

2.    Assist Members of the Authority to observe the Authority’s Code of Conduct for Members.

Specific Functions

a)    Advise the Authority on the adoption or revision of a Members’ Code of Conduct.

b)    Monitor the operation and effectiveness of the Authority’s Code of Conduct for Members.

c)    Advise, and arrange to train, Members of the Authority on matters relating to the Authority’s Code of Conduct for Members.

d)    Grant dispensations to Members from requirements relating to prejudicial interests set out in the Members’ Code of Conduct.

e)    Receive and assess complaints that Members may have breached the Code of Conduct for Members.

f)     Review Standards Committee decisions to take no action on a complaint that the Code has been breached, where such review is requested by the complainant.

g)    Deal with any reports from a case tribunal or interim case tribunal, any reports to the Standards Committee by an Ethical Standards Officer, and any report from the Monitoring Officer (including any report on any matter which is referred by an Ethical Standards Officer to the Monitoring Officer).

h)    Determine complaints (other than those being determined by the Standards Board/Adjudication Panel) that Members may have breached the Code of Conduct for Members.

i)      Exercise all functions in respect of the publication of Standards Committee independent Member vacancies.

j)      Assist in the recruitment of independent Members to the Standards Committee (but not to approve individual appointments).

k)    Grant exemptions to officers in politically restricted posts to allow them to engage in political activities.

l)      Exercise such other functions as the Authority considers appropriate.

Sub-Committees

The Standards Committee has established three Sub-Committees to deal with the separate roles involved in dealing with complaints about Member conduct.

Complaint Assessment Sub-Committee

This Sub-Committee undertakes all functions of the Standards Committee in relation to the initial assessment of complaints that Members have breached the Authority’s Code of Conduct for Members (including the referral or otherwise of complaints for investigation or other action).

Complaint Review Sub-Committee

This Sub-Committee undertakes all functions of the Standards Committee in relation to the review of assessment decisions to take no action in respect of complaints that Members have breached the Authority‘s Code of Conduct for Members.

Complaints Determination Sub-Committee

This Sub-Committee undertakes all functions of the Standards Committee in relation to the consideration of complaint investigation reports, the holding of complaint determination hearings, the making of findings and the imposition of sanctions (if appropriate) in respect of complaints that Members have breached the Authority’s Code of Conduct for Members.

Each Sub-Committee is comprised of three Members of the Standards Committee:  two local authority Members (one CYC appointed and one NYCC appointed) and one independent Member.  Each is chaired by the independent Member.

The Standards Committee has developed Local Assessment Criteria against which the Complaint Assessment Sub-Committee assesses new complaints and decides what action, if any, to take. The Criteria also set out how complaints received anonymously will be dealt with.

The Committee has also agreed procedures governing how its Sub-Committees will deal with the various stages in handling complaints that Members may have breached the Code.  Those procedures can be accessed here.

Meetings