The Standards Committee of Manchester Council met on Wednesday 24 June 2026. The committee approved the minutes of the meeting held on 12 March 2026 as a correct record. The committee noted updates on the operation of the Gifts and Hospitality Policy, the Planning Protocol, and the Member/Officer Relations Protocol. The committee approved the content of the draft Members' Update on Ethical Governance set out in the Appendix for circulation to all members.

Minutes of Previous Meeting

The committee approved the minutes of the meeting held on 12 March 2026 as a correct record. A recommendation from the previous meeting to request an update on DBS checks for elected members was discussed, with the Deputy City Solicitor suggesting that a substantive report on this subject be included in the committee's work programme for future consideration.

Gifts and Hospitality Policy - Review of Operations and Efficacy

The committee reviewed the operation and efficacy of the Gifts and Hospitality Policy for Members. The policy, last amended in July 2025, requires members to register gifts and hospitality received with an estimated value of at least £100. The report indicated that notifications of gifts had increased, largely due to high-profile events in the city, but there was no indication that members were unaware of their registration obligations. The committee noted that gifts declared by members are published on their individual Register of Interests, which is publicly available on the Council website. The Head of Legal Governance stated that a summary of declared gifts and declined hospitality could be included in future update reports. Members agreed that it is the responsibility of individual councillors to keep their Register of Interests up to date, and they were reminded that advice is available from the Monitoring Officer or the Governance Team if they have any doubts. The committee noted the Monitoring Officer's view that no further amendments to the policy were required at this time.

Members Update on Ethical Governance

The committee approved the content of the draft Members' Update on Ethical Governance set out in the Appendix for circulation to all members. This update, produced on a six-monthly basis, aims to inform members about matters relating to ethical governance. The draft included details of a standards investigation that found six councillors had breached the Code of Conduct regarding their involvement in a WhatsApp group chat, a case where a councillor was found to have made up their mind before a Planning Committee vote, and the sentencing of a former councillor for sending poison pen letters. It also included reminders about the six-month rule for non-attendance at meetings, and the importance of keeping Registers of Interests up to date.

Operation and Efficacy of the Planning Protocol

An update was provided on the operation and efficacy of the Council's Planning Protocol. Since the last report in June 2025, there had been no complaints about members' conduct in relation to planning matters. Members of the Planning Committee continued to seek advice regarding interests or potential bias/predetermination situations, indicating the protocol was effective. While the protocol was considered effective, it is continually reviewed. Amendments are considered if particular issues arise that are not covered or could be improved. The report noted that although the protocol was re-adopted unchanged by the Council in May 2026, clarification had been provided regarding speaking rights at Planning Committee meetings, which is now set out on an information page attached to the Planning Committee's agenda.

Review of the Operation and Efficacy of the Member/Officer Relations Protocol

The committee reviewed the operation and efficacy of the Member/Officer Relations Protocol, which is part of the Council's Constitution. No changes to the protocol were deemed necessary during the Council's constitutional review in May 2026, other than to update references to the Use of Resources Guidance for Members to Use of Resources Policy for Members. The Monitoring Officer reported that the existing protocol is well understood by members and that they are not aware of any issues that have not been addressed through existing procedures. The induction programme for both councillors and officers includes information on the protocol, and the Monitoring Officer believes it is working as intended.

Work Programme

The committee noted and agreed the work programme, noting the above comment. The Chair indicated that she would liaise with the Executive Member for Finance and Resources and relevant officers to confirm future meeting dates and times. A recommendation was made to request the Monitoring Officer to provide an update on DBS checks on elected members and to provide early notification of a possible extraordinary meeting in April to consider the Annual Governance Statement.