The Governance, Ethics and Standards Committee of Derbyshire County Council was scheduled to consider the annual report of the Independent Remuneration Panel, a minor change to the council's constitution regarding the D2 Strategic Leadership Board, and a report on complaints received against councillors.

Annual Report of the Independent Remuneration Panel

The committee was scheduled to review the latest report from the Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP) concerning member remuneration for the 2026/27 financial year. The IRP's report, prepared in February 2026, included recommendations for the Basic Allowance and Special Responsibility Allowances (SRAs). The Panel recommended that the Basic Allowance be increased in line with the average pay award for all council staff. However, for SRAs, the Panel recommended that all allowances be frozen for the upcoming year. The report noted that the Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) process was a significant factor in the decision to freeze SRAs, with a view to undertaking a comprehensive review of allowances schemes for successor councils once more information was available. The committee was asked to consider these recommendations and potentially make its own alternative recommendations to the full Council.

Minor Change to the Constitution: D2 Strategic Leadership Board

The committee was scheduled to be informed about a minor change to the council's Constitution, specifically concerning the D2 Strategic Leadership Board (SLB). This change involved the inclusion of amended terms of reference for the SLB, which had been approved by Cabinet on 11 September 2025. These revised terms were designed to reflect changes in the strategic operating environment, focusing on the SLB's primary role, hosting arrangements, and opportunities to enhance forward planning. The Monitoring Officer, with delegated authority, had approved the inclusion of these amended terms within the Constitution on 19 February 2026. The committee was to be retrospectively notified of this amendment, as required by Article 22 of the Constitution, and the changes would also be reported to the full Council.

Complaints Received Against Councillors

A report was scheduled to be presented to the committee detailing complaints received against councillors under the Code of Conduct for Elected Members between 1 September 2025 and 12 February 2026. The council's Code of Conduct for Members was last approved in March 2024. The report outlined the procedure for considering complaints, which involves an initial assessment by the Monitoring Officer, in consultation with the Independent Person, to determine if a complaint warrants formal investigation, informal resolution, or rejection. The committee was to be kept informed of these initial assessment decisions. The report indicated that 12 complaints had been received during the specified period, with 4 treated as withdrawn, 5 determined, and 3 still in progress. The report also provided historical data on the number of complaints received since 2021/2022, showing an increase in the current period. Details of the complaints and their outcomes were to be provided in an appendix. The committee was asked to note the complaints received and the actions taken.