The Standards Committee of Hertfordshire Council met on Wednesday 16 September 2026, where they unanimously granted a dispensation for absence from council meetings to County Councillor S Wortley on the grounds of ill health. The meeting also confirmed the minutes from the previous meeting held on 6 July 2026.

Member Request for Approval for Absence from Council Meetings

The committee unanimously approved a request for a dispensation from the attendance requirement under Section 85(1) of the Local Government Act 1972 for County Councillor S Wortley. This dispensation, granted on the grounds of ill health, will be effective until 31 March 2027. Section 85(1) of the Local Government Act 1972 mandates that a local authority member must attend at least one meeting within a six-month period, or they risk ceasing to be a councillor, unless the authority grants approval for their absence beforehand. Councillor Brown expressed her support for the motion, sending best wishes to Councillor Wortley and his family for a speedy recovery.

Confirmation of Previous Minutes

The minutes of the Standards Committee meeting held on 6 July 2026 were confirmed as a correct record. During the discussion of the previous minutes, a query was raised regarding the role of Independent Persons, and the Chair directed that this matter be discussed outside of the meeting.

The meeting also included a period where the press and public were excluded to discuss exempt information relating to County Councillor S Wortley's request for absence.

The date of the next three Standards Committee meetings were announced as 1 October 2026 at 2pm, 27 November 2026 at 11am, and 21 April 2027 at 2pm.