The Standards and Governance Committee of East Riding of Yorkshire Council convened on Wednesday, 26 June 2024, to discuss various matters related to ethical standards, complaints processes, and governance issues. Key decisions included the approval of the draft Annual Report for the municipal year and the endorsement of a protocol for handling Code of Conduct complaints in relation to local authority grievance procedures.

Review of Standards Complaints' Process

The committee reviewed the current standards arrangements for handling complaints of breaches of the Code of Conduct for Members. The report highlighted that since 1 April 2023, North Yorkshire Council received 149 formal standards complaints, with the majority concerning parish and town councillors. The committee discussed the need for a balance between maintaining high ethical standards and protecting the public purse. It was noted that 81% of complaints assessed did not merit further action. The committee unanimously approved the proposed amendments to the complaints process.

Protocol for Relationship Between Code of Conduct Complaints and Local Authority Grievance Procedures

A draft protocol was presented regarding the relationship between Code of Conduct complaints and local authority grievance procedures. The protocol aims to clarify the process when an employee feels mistreated by an elected or co-opted Member. The committee approved the protocol, which will help ensure that complaints related to bullying, intimidation, harassment, or discrimination are appropriately addressed under the standards regime.

Temporary Appointments to Kirby Grindalythe and Duggleby Parish Council

The committee approved the temporary appointment of three North Yorkshire Council division members to Kirby Grindalythe and Duggleby Parish Council to make it quorate. This action was necessary as the parish council had not convened a meeting since 2021 and lacked a parish clerk since September 2020. The appointments will enable the council to declare vacancies and co-opt new members, ensuring it can operate lawfully.

Community Governance Review of Dishforth Parish Council

The committee revisited the request from Dishforth Parish Council for an urgent community governance review to increase the number of parish councillors. Since the last meeting, two casual vacancies arose, allowing the council to co-opt new members and achieve quorate meetings. The committee agreed that the request was no longer urgent but recommended completing a governance review at the earliest opportunity after the boundary review to prevent future issues.

Code of Conduct Complaints - Statistics and Themes

Jennifer Norton, Assistant Director Legal and Deputy Monitoring Officer, presented an update on ethical framework complaint activity. The report detailed the number and nature of complaints received since 1 April 2023, emphasising the importance of a consistent Code of Conduct across all councils in North Yorkshire. The committee discussed the need for timely investigations and the potential for a triage system to prioritise serious complaints. Regular updates on complaint statistics were requested to identify trends and provide early intervention.

Annual Report of the Standards and Governance Committee

The committee approved the draft Annual Report for the municipal year commencing 1 April 2023. The report, which will be presented to a future meeting of the full Council, aims to raise the profile of the committee and strengthen awareness of its work and ethical standards.

Standards Bulletin

The committee reviewed the draft Standards Bulletin, which is circulated periodically to keep Members and relevant officers informed of key developments in the standards regime. The bulletin will be updated following the meeting and approved for circulation.

Work Programme

The committee considered the draft work programme and agreed to implement a forward work programme to anticipate future tasks. Regular updates on statistics and standards issues were requested, and the committee expressed gratitude for the work of the Independent Persons in completing assessments.