Meeting documents

The Chairman welcomed all present to the first meeting of the Standards Committee of the new municipal year. A particular welcome was made to Mr Michael Pearce attending for the first time as one of the Council’s new ‘Independent Persons’ appointed at Annual Council.

The Chairman also wished to place on record the Committee’s thanks to Rev’d Gregory Hargrove and Mrs Eileen Springford who had served as both ‘Independent Persons’ under the new Standards Regime and as Independent Members, and in the case of Mrs Springford as Chairman of the Committee, under the former Standards regime. Their invaluable input to the entire Standards process at Wycombe District Council, over a considerable number of years, was much valued.

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting of the Standards Committee held on 26 March 2013 be approved as a true record and signed by the Chairman.

There were no declarations of interest.

The Meeting considered the report in respect of the recommended adoption of the Members’ Planning Code of Good Practice.

The District Solicitor asked that another recommendation be added in that all references to the ‘Planning Matters Guidance Note’ in the Members’ Code of Conduct within the Council Constitution be replaced with ‘Members’ Planning Code of Good Practice’.

The District Solicitor explained that the Planning Code was intended to replace the current Planning Matters Guidance note in section D of Part 5 of the Council constitution. This change reflected the changes to the Standards regime as introduced by the Localism Act of 2011 along with the adoption of the new Members’ Code of Conduct last year.

It was noted that the Planning Code sought to cover good practices when Members were both part of decision making meetings of the Council and less formal occasions such as meetings with officers, the public of developers.

Committee Members present noted the useful grid in the report which outlined various stages of the planning process and the roles of developers; Members and officers at each. The need for Members to avoid declaring their position too early in the process was stressed.

Recommended:

(i)      That Council adopt the appended Members’ Planning Code of Good Practice to reflect the changes to the Standards Regime introduced by the Localism Act 2011, as a replacement for the current Planning Matters Guidance Note in section D of Part 5 of the Constitution.

(ii)     That delegated authority is given to the Head of Democratic, Legal and Policy Services in consultation with the Head of Planning and Sustainability to make any necessary minor amendments to Members’ Planning Code of Good Practice. 

(iii)   That all references to the ‘Planning Matters Guidance Note’ in the Members’ Code of Conduct within the Council Constitution be replaced with ‘Members’ Planning Code of Good Practice’

The Committee’s considered the quarterly statistics relating to compliments, complaints and comments made about the Council’s services for the period 1 January – 31 March 2013 (Quarter 4).  

The 98% of complaints answered within target was noted along with the five major improvements made in the cleansing, environmental health, housing maintenance (retained stock) and recycling & refuse services in response to previous complaints.

RESOLVED: That the data and charts for the period 1 January to 31 March 2013 (Quarter 4) regards complaints, compliments and comments as set out in Appendices to the report be noted.