Agenda and minutes

Standards Committee - Wednesday, 26th October, 2022 2.30 pm

Venue: Chamber - County Hall, Carmarthen. SA31 1JP and remotely. View directions

Contact: Michelle Evans Thomas  01267 224470

Media

Items
No. Item

1.

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

There were no apologies for absence.

 

2.

DECLARATIONS OF PERSONAL INTEREST.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

 

3.

FINAL HEARING IN RESPECT OF REPORT ISSUED BY THE PUBLIC SERVICES OMBUDSMAN FOR WALES REGARDING TOWN COUNCILLOR LOUISE WRIDE pdf icon PDF 115 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chair welcomed to the meeting Town Councillor Louise Wride and Ms Sinead Cook and Ms Sarah Jones of the Office of the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales.

 

The Committee was reminded that at the meeting of the Standards Committee held on 25th August, initial consideration was given to the report issued by the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales detailing the results of their investigation into allegations that Town Councillor Louise Wride had breached the Members’ Code of Conduct. The Committee concluded that the report did disclose evidence to suggest that there had been a breach of the Code of Conduct.  The case then proceeded to the next stage and Councillor Wride was invited to make representations regarding the further progress of the case. 

 

At the meeting of the Standards Committee held on 14th October, 2022 a Pre-Hearing Review was undertaken, the main aim of which was to consider Councillor Wride’s request that the final hearing be heard in private.  The Committee resolved that today’s final hearing be held in public but with the Committee entering into private session should it be deemed in the public interest at any stage. 

 

At today’s final hearing the Committee was being asked to consider the case in full and determine whether Councillor Wride’s conduct breached the Code adopted by Llandovery Town Council as suggested in the Ombudsman’s report.

 

The Committee needed to determine whether Councillor Wride’s conduct brought her office as a Town Councillor and/or her Council into disrepute. The conduct in question being Councillor Wride’s conviction for a criminal offence, as set out in the Ombudsman’s report.

 

If the Committee determined that Councillor Wride’s conduct breached the Code, it would then need to consider what sanction (if any) it wished to impose. The maximum sanction that could be imposed was suspension from office for up to 6 months. Should the Committee conclude that Councillor Wride had breached the code and impose a sanction then Councillor Wride would have a right of appeal to the Adjudication Panel for Wales.

 

Ms Cook of the Ombudsman’s Office thereupon summarised the findings of the investigation undertaken and the Committee was given the opportunity to ask questions/seek clarification.

 

Councillor Wride was thereupon invited to address the Committee in her defence of the findings and the Committee was given the opportunity to ask questions/ seek clarification.

 

At this point in the proceedings it was proposed and seconded, pursuant to Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, that the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the reason that, if they were present, it was likely that there would be disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 16 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 namely information in respect of which a claim to legal professional privilege could be maintained in legal proceedings. 

 

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED to retire into private session to enable the Committee to consider exempt information as defined in Paragraph 16 of Schedule 12A to the Local  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

4.

ANY OTHER ITEMS OF BUSINESS THAT BY REASON OF SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES THE CHAIR DECIDES SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AS A MATTER OF URGENCY PURSUANT TO SECTION 100B(4)(B) OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT 1972.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

There were no items of urgent business to be considered.