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Basingstoke & Dean Borough Council
Councillors: 54
Wards: 18
Committees: 22
Meetings (2025): 67
Meetings (2024): 72

Meeting

Standards Committee - Basingstoke & Dean

Meeting Times
Scheduled Time
Start:
Monday, 12th June 2023
6:30 PM
End:
Monday, 12th June 2023
9:30 PM
Actual Time
Started:
Monday, 12th June 2023
12:00 AM
Finished:
Monday, 12th June 2023
12:00 AM
Meeting Status
Status:
Confirmed
Date:
12 Jun 2023
Location:
Committee Rooms 1 & 2 - Deanes
Webcast:
Available
Meeting Attendees
Councillor John McKay photo
Reserve
Cabinet Member for Communities, Partnerships and Inclusion
Councillor John McKay

Liberal Democrat

Not required

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Councillor Michael Howard-Sorrell photo
Committee Member
Chair of the Investigating and Disciplinary and Standards Appeals Committee
Councillor Michael Howard-Sorrell

Green

Present, as expected

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Councillor Jacky Tustain photo
Committee Member
Deputy Mayor and Chair of the Resident Services Committee
Councillor Jacky Tustain

Labour

Present, as expected

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Councillor Hannah Golding photo
Reserve
Councillor Hannah Golding

Conservative

Not required

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Chair
Ms V Murricane (Independent Standards Assessor)

Present, as expected

Councillor Arun Mummalaneni photo
Committee Member
Councillor Arun Mummalaneni

Conservative

Present, as expected

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Councillor Jo Slimin photo
Vice-Chair
Councillor Jo Slimin

Liberal Democrat

Present, as expected

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Committee Member
Ms A Orchard (Independent Standards Assessor)

Absent

Committee Member
Mrs L Agnew (Parish Councillor)

Present, as expected

Committee Member
Mr M Slatford (Parish Councillor)

Present, as expected

Committee Member
Paul Mahoney (Parish Councillor)

Apologies

Councillor Paul Basham photo
Reserve
Chair of the Audit and Accounts Committee
Councillor Paul Basham

Basingstoke & Deane Independent Group

Not required

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Councillor Andrew McCormick photo
Reserve
Chair of the Development Control Committee
Councillor Andrew McCormick

Labour and Co-Operative Party

Not required

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Agenda
0 Review of Work Programme
Minutes The Committee reviewed and agreed its work programme with the following comments:

·         The Monitoring Officer stated that she would provide an update on the recruitment of independent persons and independent standards assessors in November, and to inform the Committee further about Code of Conduct training.
1 Apologies for absence and substitutions
Minutes Apologies were received from Camilla Proctor.

The Chair confirmed that she had received two resignations, Paul Mahoney with immediate effect, and Camilla Proctor effective from 30 June 2023.
2 Appointment of Vice-Chair
To appoint a Vice-Chair to the Standards Committee for the 2023/24 municipal year.
Minutes Councillor J Slimin was appointed as Vice-Chair for the 2023/24 municipal year.
3 Declarations of interest
Minutes There were no declarations of interest.
4 Urgent matters
To consider any items of business, other than those shown on this agenda and which, by reason of special circumstances to be stated at the meeting, in the opinion of the Chairman, should be considered at the meeting as a matter of urgency.
Minutes There were no urgent matters.
5 Minutes of the meeting held on 13 March 2023
The Chair will move that the minutes of the meeting be signed as a correct record. The only part of the minutes that can be discussed is their accuracy.
Minutes The minutes of the meeting held on 13 March 2023 were confirmed by the Committee and signed by the Chair as a correct record.
6 Standards Committee Annual Report
Contact Officer: Fiona Thomsen

This report seeks the Committee’s approval of its Annual Report attached at Appendix 1.
Attachments:
Minutes The Monitoring Officer introduced the report which sought the Committee’s approval of its Annual Report attached at Appendix 1. The report was previously considered by the Committee on 13 March 2023 when some amendments and additions to the draft report were requested by Committee members.

Resolved: The Committee:

1.    Approves the Annual Report for publication in the form appended in appendix 1.

2.    Recommends presentation of the Annual Report to Council for consideration.
7 Complaints Update Report
Contact Officer: Fiona Thomsen

This report seeks to update the Committee on progress in determining Code of Conduct complaints received against borough, parish, and town councillors.
Attachments:
Minutes The Monitoring Officer introduced the report which provided an update to the Committee on the progress in determining Code of Conduct complaints received against Borough, Parish, and Town Councillors.

She confirmed that there had been one email enquiry since the last meeting on 13 March 2023, to which no formal complaint form was received.

Resolved: The Committee:

1.    Notes the progress made on complaints received and the learning derived from the consideration of complaints.
8 Recruitment of Independent Person and Independent Standards Assessor - Update
Contact Officer: Fiona Thomsen

This report updates the Committee on the timetable for the recruitment process for the appointment of two Independent Persons and three Independent Standards Assessors.
Minutes The Monitoring Officer introduced the report which updated the Committee on the timetable for the appointment of two Independent Persons and three Independent Standards Assessors. She stated that the job adverts had been published on the Council’s website and was about to be advertised on the Basingstoke Gazette.

The Monitoring Officer also sought approval from the Committee to recommend to Council that Verity Murricane’s four-year term as an Independent Standards Assessor be extended from 31 December 2023 until 30 April 2024 in order that she could continue as Chair of Standards Committee until the end of the municipal year.

Resolved: The Committee:

1.    Notes the timetable for the recruitment of two Independent Persons and three Independent Standards Assessors.

2.    Recommends to Council that Verity Murricane’s term as Independent Standards Assessor be extended for 4 months from 1 January 2024 in order that she can continue as Chair of Standards Committee until the end of the municipal year.
9 Code of Conduct Learning and Development Programme
Contact Officer: Fiona Thomsen

This report informs the Committee of the proposed learning and development on the Councillors’ Code of Conduct for Borough and Town and Parish Councils for 2023/24.
Minutes The Monitoring Officer introduced the report which informed the Committee of the proposed learning and development on the Councillors’ Code of Conduct for Borough and Town and Parish Councils for 2023/24. She outlined that Code of Conduct training had been arranged for Borough Councillors.

She also informed the Committee of the National Association for Local Councils (NALC) launch of the Civility and Respect Project, which encouraged Town and Parish Councils to take a pledge to treat councillors, clerks, employees, and members of the public with respect. She highlighted e-learning modules on the NALC website alongside an e-learning suite on the Local Government Association (LGA) website.

The Committee discussed the report and made the following comments which included:

·         It was acknowledged that over half of the Parish and Town Councils had adopted the Local Government Association’s (LGA) Model Code of Conduct. Therefore, the importance of training was highlighted for all existing Parish and Town Councillors.

·         It was queried when the training for Parish and Town Councils would be. The Monitoring Officer proposed an online session to take place in July and that she would email Parish Clerks about training following the meeting.

·         Disclosing information about training to chairmen as well as clerks was discussed.

·         A discussion took place on the possibility of E-learning modules on the LGA and NALC websites and whether it would produce a certificate of completion.

·         It was asked whether Parish and Town Councils should participate in the Borough Councillors Code of Conduct training. The Monitoring Officer advised the training for Parishes needed to be tailored as the guidance would be different.

·         It was highlighted that co-opted Parish Councillors hadn’t come across the Nolan Principles of public life in their training.

Resolved: The Committee:

Notes the contents of the report and provide the Monitoring Officer with views, particularly in relation to training provision proposed in paragraphs 3.2 and 3.3.
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11th Nov 2024 Webcast

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22nd Jul 2024 Webcast

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4th Dec 2023 Webcast

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13th Nov 2023 Cancelled Webcast

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12th Jun 2023 Webcast

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13th Mar 2023 Webcast

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11th Jul 2022 Webcast

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14th Mar 2022 Webcast

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Future Meetings
Meeting

15th Sep 2025 Webcast

Standards Committee

Meeting

16th Mar 2026 Webcast

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