The Standards Committee convened to discuss several key items, including the membership of sub-committees, the committee's work programme, and an urgent matter regarding the appointment of the Vice Chair of the Pensions Committee and Board. The committee approved recommendations related to the appointment panel, motions, joint arrangements and external organisations, and the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

Appointment of the Vice Chair of the Pensions Committee and Board

The committee recommended to the Full Council that it regularise the appointment of the Vice Chair of the Pensions Committee and Board. This was considered an urgent matter because, since the formal establishment of the Pensions Committee and Board in July 2016, the Vice Chair had been appointed at the Annual Council meeting, a practice consistent with other non-executive committees. However, the terms of reference of the Pensions Committee and Board stated that the Vice Chair should be appointed by the Pensions Committee and Board at their first meeting of the municipal year, a rule that had not been followed.

The Constitution Working Group reviewed the terms of reference and recommended deleting the reference to the Vice Chair being appointed by the Committee and Board, so that the appointment would continue to be made at the Annual Council meeting, as is current practice.

The report before the committee noted that:

Contact with the former Director of Finance who had led and facilitated the compilation of this Combined Pensions Committee and Board model in 2014/15 had no recollection of a requirement for this body to have a Vice Chair appointed by the Committee and Board rather than by Annual Council.

The committee was asked to recommend to the Full Council the deletion of the provision for appointment of the Vice Chair by the Pensions Committee and Board, and to approve the updated terms of reference for the Pensions Committee and Board for publication. The committee agreed to recommend these changes to the Full Council.

Confirmation of the Membership of the Standards Assessment and Hearing Sub-Committees

The committee agreed that the membership of the Standards Assessment Sub-Committee and the Standards Hearing Sub-Committee should be the same as the membership of the Standards Committee, given the need for members' expertise and discretion. It was noted that it is customary for meetings of the Standards Assessment Sub-Committee to begin with the election of the Chair, to allow flexibility if the Chair of the parent committee is unable to attend or has recused themselves from consideration of a complaint.

The Council's Constitution sets out the remit of the Standards Committee, including the establishment of the Assessment Sub-Committee and the Hearing Sub-Committee to address allegations of breaches of the Members' Code of Conduct¹.

Committee Work Programme

The committee discussed its work programme and noted the topics scheduled for the meeting on 13 November 2025, which include:

• Code of Conduct Complaints Monitoring Officer Annual Report
• Planning Protocol
• Changes to the Council Constitution