Agenda item

(1)       Mr A King proposed, Mr Carter seconded the recommendations as follows:

(i)                 That the Council adopts the Kent Model Code of Conduct as set out at Appendix 1 of the report which deals with the conduct expected of members and co-opted members of this authority when they are acting in that capacity.  The Code to be retrospectively effective from 1 July 2012.

(ii)               That the Council notes the requirements of the Localism Act 2011 for members to notify the Monitoring Officer of any disclosable pecuniary interests ("DPIs") by 28 July 2012 and the duty of the Monitoring Officer to establish and maintain a register of members' interests.

(iii)             That the Council adopts the arrangements contained within Appendix 2 of the report, under which allegations of non-compliance with the Code can be investigated and under which decisions can be made.  The arrangements shall be retrospectively effective from 1 July 2012.

(iv)              That the dispensation set out in paragraph 5(6) be endorsed.

(v)                That the existing Standards Committee be formally dissolved with retrospective effect from midnight on 30 June 2012.

(vi)              That as from 1 July 2012 a new Standards Committee be established with the Terms of Reference/Delegations set out in Appendix 3.

(vii)            That Council appoints 5 members (3:1:1) to serve on the Standards Committee and dis-applies the proportionality arrangements.

(viii)          That the Director of Governance and Law in consultation with the three Group Leaders and the Chairman of the Selection and Member Services Committee be authorised to undertake the recruitment of an independent person as set out in paragraphs 5(17)-(18) to this report and appoints an independent person to discharge the functions ascribed by section 28 of the Localism Act 2011. 

(ix)              That the arrangements set out in paragraph 19 for the remuneration, expenses and insurance of the independent person and substitute be approved.

(x)                That the Scheme of Officer Delegations with regard to Council functions be amended as from 1 July 2012, so as to confer on the Monitoring Officer the delegation of functions set out in Appendix 3 of the report and incorporated in the County Council Constitution.

(xi)              That the Procedure Rules set out in Appendix 3 be adopted with effect from 1 July 2012 and incorporated in the County Council Constitution.

(xii)            That the Monitoring Officer be requested to keep the Code and Arrangements under review and to report further to the Council or Standards Committee as necessary.

(2)       Following a debate, the Chairman put to the vote the recommendation as set out above, when the voting was as follows:

For (63)

Mrs A Allen, Mr M Angell, Mr A Bowles, Mr D Brazier, Mr R Brookbank, Mr R Bullock, Mr R Burgess, Mr P Carter, Mr N Chard, Mr I Chittenden, Mrs P Cole, Mr G Cooke, Mr B Cope, Mr H Craske, Mr A Crowther, Mr J Cubitt, Mrs V Dagger, Mr D Daley, Mr M Dance, Mr J Davies, Mr G Gibbens, Mr R Gough, Mr M Harrison, Mr W Hayton, Mr D Hirst, Ms A Hohler, Mrs S Hohler, Mr P Homewood, Mr E Hotson, Mr A King, Mr J Kirby, Mr J Kite, Mr G Koowaree, Mrs J Law, Mr R Lees, Mr J London, Mr R  Long, Mr S Manion, Mr R Manning, Mr J Ozog, Mr R Parry, Mr T Prater, Mr K Pugh, Mr L Ridings, Mr M Robertson, Mr A Sandhu, Mr J Scholes, Mr J Simmonds, Mr C Smith, Mr M Snelling, Mrs P Stockell, Mr B Sweetland, Mr J Tansley, Mr R Tolputt, Mrs E Tweed, Mr M Vye, Mrs C Waters, Mr J Wedgbury, Mr C Wells, Mr M Whiting, Mrs J Whittle, Mr A Wickham, Mr A Willicombe

Against (2)

Mr L Christie, Mr G Cowan

Carried