Present:-

Councillors Brook (Chairman), Colthorpe, Fry, Hook, and Owen.

Apologies:-

Councillors Sir Simon Day and Parsons

Mr Bull, Alderman Turner, Mrs Mayes and Mrs Saltmarsh.

*7 Minutes

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Committee held on 9 July 2012 be signed as a correct record.

*8 Corporate Feedback Monitoring

The Committee received the latest summary report of statistics relating to compliments, representations and complaints received and handled by the Council during the second quarter of 2012/13.

The Committee noted that this was the first report under the revised corporate feedback arrangements for the reporting and handling of feedback across all of the Council services including children s and adult social care services. Members acknowledged that it was a comprehensive and clear report, although attention was drawn to the need for careful use of acronyms and jargon. Members concerns about any performance issues arising from any analysis of feedback received, or raised with them direct, should be taken up with the appropriate Head of Service or Strategic Director, acknowledging also the ability of Members to raise such issues through the relevant Scrutiny Committee as part of any consideration of performance management.

It was MOVED by Councillor Brook, SECONDED by Councillor Colthorpe and

RESOLVED that the report be noted and the efforts of all those staff involved in achieving such creditable results be acknowledged.

*9 Adult Children s Social Care: Compliments, Representations and Complaints

The Committee received the latest summary report of statistics relating to compliments, representations and complaints received and handled by the service during the first quarter of 2012/13.

It was MOVED by Councillor Brook, SECONDED by Councillor Colthorpe and

RESOLVED that the report be noted and, again, the efforts of all those staff involved in achieving such creditable results be acknowledged.

*10 Independent Monitoring

The Committee considered the report of the County Solicitor (CS/12/29 - text only | pdf CS/12/29) summarising the feedback from Co-opted Members of this Committee on their attendance at meetings of the Council, Cabinet and Committees since the previous meeting to monitor compliance by Members and Officers with the Council s ethical governance framework.

The Committee were pleased to note that there had been no areas of significant concern or any indication of actions or behaviours that might be felt to have resulted in a potential breach of the Code and acknowledged that steps had been taken to address a number of practical and procedural matters in light of Member s comments arising from both this and the previous monitoring report.

It was MOVED by Councillor Brook, SECONDED by Councillor Colthorpe and

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

*11 Local Determination of Complaints: Case Handling Information

The County Solicitor reported that, since the last meeting, one complaint concerning an alleged breach of the Members Code of Conduct by a County Councillor had been received. Following an initial assessment of the complaint and consultation with an Independent Person appointed by the Council it had been agreed that no further action should be taken on the complaint on the basis that the allegations would not be a breach of the Code of Conduct and, accordingly, could not therefore be investigated.

*DENOTES DELEGATED MATTER WITH POWER TO ACT

The meeting started at 2.15pm and finished at 3.00pm.

The Minutes of this Committee are published on the County Council s Website at:-