THE DECISION:

That Councillor M Rigby be elected Chairman for duration of the meeting.

(Councillor M Rigby in the Chair)

To consider passing a resolution under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 excluding the press and public from the meeting during consideration of item 4 on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act.

THE DECISION:

That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public were excluded from the meeting during consideration of the items of business at minute no SHP.33 on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act as the Panel was satisfied that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information.

Report of the Monitoring Officer

The subject of the decision:

The Monitoring Officer presented a report about allegations that a Parish Councillor failed to comply with the provisions of the Parish Council’s Code of Member Conduct.

The Panel heard from those who had made the allegations.

Alternative options considered:

None.

The reason for the decision:

Having considered the Monitoring Officer’s report, the accompanying documents and having heard from the complainant in person, and having considered the Councillor’s written representations, the Panel’s findings were as follows:-

The Panel had seen no evidence that the Councillor had misled the public, or by his actions contributed to the Parish Council misleading the public, about a consultation on mineral extraction in 2015.

The quality of the Councillor’s report into the complainant’s complaint, and the Parish Council’s procedures used in producing it, were not matters covered by the Code of Conduct.

In  disclosing the complaint to the clerk and his fellow Councillors, the Councillor did not disclose confidential information about the complainant.  It was appropriate for the Councillor to disclose the complaint to his fellow Councillors and the Clerk in order to seek their views when dealing with the complaint.  It was noted that the Councillor had not disclosed the complaint to any other parties.

It followed that the Panel found that there had been no breaches of the Code of Conduct in this case.

THE DECISION:

That the Panel recommends to the Parish Council that the allegations be not upheld and the Parish Council be notified of the Panel’s findings.