Agenda and minutes

Notification of substitute Members were recorded as set out below:

·         Councillor J Clokey substituted for Councillor R Roud

·         Councillor M Boughton substituted for Councillor Sue Bell

In accordance with Council Procedure Rules 17.5 to 17.9 these Councillors had the same rights as the ordinary member of the committee for whom they were substituting.

Members are reminded of their obligation under the Council’s Code of Conduct to disclose any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests and Other Significant Interests in any matter(s) to be considered or being considered at the meeting. These are explained in the Code of Conduct on the Council’s website at Code of conduct for members – Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council (tmbc.gov.uk).

Members in any doubt about such declarations are advised to contact Legal or Democratic Services in advance of the meeting.

There were no declarations of interest made in accordance with the Code of Conduct.

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Joint Standards Committee held on 8 June 2022.

RESOLVED:  That the Minutes of the meeting of the Joint Standards Committee held on 8 June 2022 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

This report invites Members to consider revisions to the existing arrangements for dealing with Code of Conduct complaints.

Following Council’s approval of the changes to the Borough Council’s adopted Code of Conduct on 27 April 2022 in light of revisions to the Model Code of Conduct produced by the Local Government Association, the report outlined the suggested changes to the Borough Council’s adopted arrangements, which set out the process for handling complaints against Borough/ Parish/ Town Councillors under the Kent Code, and sought Members’ approval to recommend them to Council for adoption.

The revised Arrangements were set out at Annex 1 and the principal changes were summarised at 1.2.1 of the report.  It was noted that the Borough Council was not obliged to accept the changes proposed by Kent Secretaries.

Members welcomed the proposed revisions to the existing arrangements for dealing with Code of Conduct complaints and had due regard to the legal implications, risk assessment and equality impact assessment arising from these changes.

RECOMMENDED*:  That

(1)        the revised Arrangements for Dealing with Code of Conduct Complaints under the Localism Act 2011, attached at Annex 1, be adopted.

*Referred to Council

The Chairman to move that the press and public be excluded from the remainder of the meeting during consideration of any items the publication of which would disclose exempt information.

There were no items considered in private.