Decision details

Standards Best Practice

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: No

Is subject to call in?: No

Decisions:

5.1     The Committee received a report by the Director of Law and Assurance (copy appended to the signed minutes), which set out proposals to implement two areas of best practice as defined by the Committee for Standards in Public Life.

 

5.2     The report was introduced by Charles Gauntlett (Senior Advisor, Democratic Services), who advised that it was proposed to add an explicit wording to the registration of interests form that a member would ‘confirm that I agree to abide by West Sussex County Council’s Code of Conduct’ as well as give notice of their interests. He confirmed that the other proposal was to add a list of other bodies which the Council owns or has set up to the Annual Governance Statement, confirming that they abide by the Nolan principles of openness.

 

5.3     The Committee welcomed the proposals and agreed that these would address the two gaps identified in the County Council’s best practice on standards. It asked that the declaration to be added to the registration of interests form be highlighted in bold type.

 

5.4     Resolved –

 

(1)        That the proposed amended wording to the registration of interests form in the appendix to the report be approved for use after future by-elections and elections, in bold type.

 

(2)        That the Director of Law and Assurance be asked to list separate bodies within future Annual Governance Statements, together with confirmation that they abide by the Nolan principles.

Publication date: 19/08/2019

Date of decision: 26/07/2019

Decided at meeting: 26/07/2019 - Standards Committee

Accompanying Documents: