Agenda and minutes

An apology for absence was received from Town Councillor P. Rogers (Community Member).

There were no declarations of personal interest.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Standards Committee held on the 28^th July, 2022 be signed as a correct record.

The Chair accepted an apology from Councillor R. James that he had not been able to attend the Standards Committee meeting held on the 4^th August, 2022.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Standards Committee held on the 4^th August, 2022 be signed as a correct record.

THE REPORT RELATING TO THE FOLLOWING ITEM IS NOT FOR PUBLICATION AS IT CONTAINS EXEMPT INFORMATION AS DEFINED IN PARAGRAPHS 12 & 13 OF PART 4 OF SCHEDULE 12A TO THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT 1972 AS AMENDED BY THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT (ACCESS TO INFORMATION) (VARIATION) (WALES) ORDER 2007. IF, FOLLOWING THE APPLICATION OF THE PUBLIC INTEREST TEST, THE COMMITTEE RESOLVES PURSUANT TO THE ACT TO CONSIDER THIS ITEM IN PRIVATE, THE PUBLIC WILL BE EXCLUDED FROM THE MEETING DURING SUCH CONSIDERATION.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED, pursuant to the Local Government Act 1972, as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) (Wales) Order 2007, that the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items as the reports contained exempt information as defined in paragraph 12 and 13 of Part 4 of Schedule 12A to the Act.

Following the application of the public interest test it was RESOLVED pursuant to the Act referred to in minute no. 4 above not to publicise the content of the report as it contained exempt information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the Authority holding that information) (Paragraph 12 and 13 of Part 4 of Schedule 12A to the Act).  The public interest test in respect of this report outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information contained therein disclosure at this initial stage of a two-stage process would be a disproportionate and unwarranted intrusion into the private and family life of the Councillor in question.

The Committee considered a report received by the Council’s Monitoring Officer from the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales which set out the results of the investigation into allegations that Councillor Wride had breached the members code of conduct. 

Members, in accordance with the procedures adopted by the Committee, carried out an initial consideration of the report and based solely upon the contents of the Ombudsman’s report came to a determination.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the report contained evidence of a breach and that Councillor Wride should be given the opportunity to make representations to the Committee, either orally or in writing, in respect of the findings of the investigation.