The role and function of the Standards Committee is:

(a)       promoting and maintaining high standards of conduct by Councillors, co-opted Members, church, other faith and parent governor representatives;

(b)       assisting the Councillors, co-opted Members and church, other faith and parent governor representatives to observe the Members’ Code of Conduct;

(c)        advising the Council on the adoption or revision of the Members’ Code of Conduct;

(d)       monitoring the operation of the Members’ Code of Conduct;

(e)       advising, training (or arranging to train) Councillors, co-opted members and church, other faith and parent governor representatives on matters relating to the Members’ Code of Conduct;

(f)         granting dispensations to Councillors, co-opted Members, church, other faith and parent governor representatives from requirements relating to interests set out in the Members’ Code of Conduct;

(g)       dealing with any reports from a case tribunal or interim case tribunal and any report from the Monitoring Officer on any matter which is referred by an Ethical Standards Officer to the Monitoring Officer;

(h)               advising the Council on other Codes and Protocols forming the authority's ethical framework;

(i)                 to consider arrangements for the appointment of Independent Members to the Committee;

(j)                  ensuring the authority operates within a robust corporate governance framework; and

(k)               to consider any report referred to it by the Cabinet or any other Committee where there are implications for ethical standards and report back as appropriate.

Membership

-                     two Councillors (who may not include the Leader), one from the majority group on the Council and one from the largest minority group; and

-           five suitable persons who are not Councillors or officers of the Council or any other body having a Standards Committee and who are not related to or have a close friendship or relationship with such persons (an “Independent Member”).

Independent Members are entitled to vote at meetings.

A member of the Executive may not chair the Committee and the chair of the Committee will be an Independent Member.

Reports referred to Council

The Independent Chair of the Standards Committee shall be entitled to address the Council on any report referred to it by the Standards Committee which has implications for ethical governance.