Gosport Borough Council
Councillors:
28
Wards:
14
Committees:
10
Meetings (2025):
48
Meetings (2024):
47
Meeting
Standards and Governance Committee - Gosport
Meeting Times
Scheduled Time
Start:
Thursday, 18th November 2021
6:00 PM
Thursday, 18th November 2021
6:00 PM
End:
Thursday, 18th November 2021
10:00 PM
Thursday, 18th November 2021
10:00 PM
Actual Time
Started:
Thursday, 18th November 2021
12:00 AM
Thursday, 18th November 2021
12:00 AM
Finished:
Thursday, 18th November 2021
10:20 PM
Thursday, 18th November 2021
10:20 PM
Meeting Status
Status:
Confirmed
Confirmed
Date:
18 Nov 2021
18 Nov 2021
Location:
Council Chamber
Council Chamber
Meeting Attendees
Committee Member
Councillor Mrs Diane Furlong
Present, as expected
Committee Member
Councillor Mrs Lynn Hook
Present, as expected
Committee Member
Councillor Marcus Murphy MSc IEng MInstMC MIET MInstLM
Present, as expected
Council Staff
Head of Planning and Regeneration and Assistant to the Chief Executive
Debbie Gore
Expected
Chairman
Councillor Sean Blackman
Present, as expected
Agenda
1
Apologies for non-attendance
Minutes
There were no apologies
2
Declarations of interest
All members are required to disclose at this point in the meeting or as soon as possible thereafter, any disclosable pecuniary interest or personal interest in any item(s) being considered at this meeting.
Minutes
There were none
3
Minutes of previous meeting held on 14 October 2021
Attachments:
- Document Minutes Public Pack, 14/10/2021 Standards and Governance Committee 10 Nov 2021
Minutes
RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting held on 14 October 2021 be signed as a true and correct record.
4
Deputations - Standing Order 3.4
(NOTE: The Board is required to receive a deputation(s) on a matter which is before the meeting of the Board provided that notice of the intended deputation and its object shall have been received by the Borough Solicitor by 12 noon on Tuesday 16th November 2021)
Minutes
There were none
5
Public Questions - Standing Order 3.5
(NOTE: The Board is required to allow a total of 15 minutes for questions from members of the public on matters within the terms of reference of the Board provided that notice of such question(s) shall have been submitted to the Borough Solicitor by 12 noon on Tuesday 16th November 2021)
Minutes
There were none
6
Whistleblowing Policy & Statistics
To update Members in regards to the Whistleblowing Policy and any referrals made from October 2020 to October 2021.
Attachments:
- Document Whistleblowing Policy Covering Report Nov 2021 10 Nov 2021
Minutes
Consideration was given to a report by the Chief Internal Auditor updating Members in regards to the Whistleblowing Policy and any referals made from October 2020 to October 2021.
The Chief Internal Auditor advised members that there had been no referrals during the year and the policy had been reviewed with no changes made.
RESOLVED: That the Committee noted:
a. That no referrals had been made under the Whistleblowing Policy between October 2020 and October 2021.
b. The Whistleblowing Policy had been reviewed and no changes had been made.
The Chief Internal Auditor advised members that there had been no referrals during the year and the policy had been reviewed with no changes made.
RESOLVED: That the Committee noted:
a. That no referrals had been made under the Whistleblowing Policy between October 2020 and October 2021.
b. The Whistleblowing Policy had been reviewed and no changes had been made.
7
Audit Progress Report 1st April to 28th October 2021
To update the committee on the progress of the Audit Plan 2021/22, agreed (July 2021), to the Members with responsibility for governance.
Attachments:
- Document Audit Progress Covering Nov 21 10 Nov 2021
- Document Appendix A Internal Audit Progress Report Nov 21 10 Nov 2021
Minutes
Consideration was given to a report by the Chief Internal Auditor updating the Committee on the progress of the Audit Plan 2021/22, agreed (July 2021) to the Members with responsibility for governance.
The Chief Internal Auditor drew Members attention to section 3 where the number of hours spent by the Senior Auditor on Covid grants work were laid out.
He also advised members that two full audits have been completed on IT access and Streetscene Enforcement.
RESOLVED: That the Committee noted the progress of the Audit Plan 2021/2022 from 1st April 2021- 28th October 2021.
The Chief Internal Auditor drew Members attention to section 3 where the number of hours spent by the Senior Auditor on Covid grants work were laid out.
He also advised members that two full audits have been completed on IT access and Streetscene Enforcement.
RESOLVED: That the Committee noted the progress of the Audit Plan 2021/2022 from 1st April 2021- 28th October 2021.
8
Review of Code of Conduct for Members
This report sets out the need for the Council to review its Code of Conduct for Members and Arrangements for Dealing with Allegations of Breaches of the Code of Conduct for Members (taken together and referred to as “the Code”) set out in Part 4 Schedule 17 of the Constitution, and considers the proposal of setting up a working group of Members and Officers to review the Code and assist the Borough Solicitor in proposing amendments to a future Committee.
Attachments:
- Document 8.Standards and Governance annual review of code of conduct report 02112021 10 Nov 2021
- Document 8.GBC IIA - Code of Conduct for Members 05112021w MB comments Final 10 Nov 2021
Minutes
Consideration was given to a report by the Borough Solicitor and Monitoring Officer setting out the need for the Council to review its Code of Conduct for Members and Arrangements for Dealing with Allegations of Breaches of the Code of Conduct for Members set out in Part 4 Schedule 17 of the Constitution, and considers the proposal of setting up a working group of Members and Officers to review the Code and assist the Borough Solicitor in proposing amendments to a future Committee.
The Borough Solicitor and Monitoring Officer reminded Members that a report had been brought to Committee a year ago recommending that the Code should be subject to an annual review. He advised that a working group should be convened to go through the Code and look at proposals for amendments, and was looking for nominations from the Committee.
Members welcomed the initial review and the introduction of an annual review as they felt that legislation and society changes needed to be reflected in the Code. They hoped that sexual harassment would be included in Best Practice recommendation 1, and that dyslexia would be included in Best Practice recommendation 10.
Members also wished to determine what would be considered acceptable language in the Chamber and reflect it in the Code.
Members were advised that the formation of a working group is not covered by the Constitution in the same way as a Task & Finish Group is and not subject to the same rules and therefore the group can agree on how the group works and where it is drawn from.
The Borough Solicitor advised that he would also be consulting the Independent Persons and Group Leaders hence the possible need for two meetings.
A Member felt that making it an annual review removed the suspicion that there was a specific purpose for reviewing the Code.
A Member felt that substitutes should be allowed to cover the eventuality of someone falling ill or isolating with Covid, but Members felt this would be covered by having 5 Members in the Working Group.
Members felt that holding the meeting on Teams should be an option, but only as a plan B
A Member felt that proportionality did not need to be observed in the Working Group.
A Member proposed an amendment to the Recommendation that the Working Group should only consist of three Members. This was seconded and a vote taken which was lost.
RESOLVED: That the Committee agreed to establish a working group of five members (made up of the Chairman plus four other members of the Committee) to work with Officers to review the Code of Conduct for Members and Arrangements for Dealing with Allegations of Breaches of the Code of Conduct for Members and to consider proposals for amendment so that the Borough Solicitor & Monitoring Officer can report back to the Committee at a subsequent meeting in early 2022 with proposals for amendments for onward submission to the Policy & Organisation Board and Full Council for a change of the Constitution.
The Borough Solicitor and Monitoring Officer reminded Members that a report had been brought to Committee a year ago recommending that the Code should be subject to an annual review. He advised that a working group should be convened to go through the Code and look at proposals for amendments, and was looking for nominations from the Committee.
Members welcomed the initial review and the introduction of an annual review as they felt that legislation and society changes needed to be reflected in the Code. They hoped that sexual harassment would be included in Best Practice recommendation 1, and that dyslexia would be included in Best Practice recommendation 10.
Members also wished to determine what would be considered acceptable language in the Chamber and reflect it in the Code.
Members were advised that the formation of a working group is not covered by the Constitution in the same way as a Task & Finish Group is and not subject to the same rules and therefore the group can agree on how the group works and where it is drawn from.
The Borough Solicitor advised that he would also be consulting the Independent Persons and Group Leaders hence the possible need for two meetings.
A Member felt that making it an annual review removed the suspicion that there was a specific purpose for reviewing the Code.
A Member felt that substitutes should be allowed to cover the eventuality of someone falling ill or isolating with Covid, but Members felt this would be covered by having 5 Members in the Working Group.
Members felt that holding the meeting on Teams should be an option, but only as a plan B
A Member felt that proportionality did not need to be observed in the Working Group.
A Member proposed an amendment to the Recommendation that the Working Group should only consist of three Members. This was seconded and a vote taken which was lost.
RESOLVED: That the Committee agreed to establish a working group of five members (made up of the Chairman plus four other members of the Committee) to work with Officers to review the Code of Conduct for Members and Arrangements for Dealing with Allegations of Breaches of the Code of Conduct for Members and to consider proposals for amendment so that the Borough Solicitor & Monitoring Officer can report back to the Committee at a subsequent meeting in early 2022 with proposals for amendments for onward submission to the Policy & Organisation Board and Full Council for a change of the Constitution.
9
Any Other Items
Minutes
Previous Meetings
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