Present:-

Councillors Hughes (Chairman), Barisic, Colthorpe and Hill

Mr Bull and Mrs Saltmarsh.

Apologies:-

Councillors Chugg, Connett, Moulding and Alderman Turner and Mrs Mayes.

*1 Minutes

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the former Committee held on 18 March 2013 be signed as a correct record.

*2 Corporate Feedback/Adult Children s Social Care: Compliments, Representations and Complaints

The Committee considered the Joint Report of the Head of Business Strategy and Support Services and Head of Social Care Commissioning (BSS/13/9 - text only | pdf BSS/13/9), the first annual feedback report covering both corporate and social care services, relating to compliments, representations and complaints received and handled by the Council in 2012/13.

Members were to be encouraged to pass on any feedback received by them from the public, particularly of a complimentary nature.

It was MOVED by Councillor Hughes, SECONDED by Councillor Hill and

RESOLVED that the report on feedback during 2012/13 covering both corporate and social care services, relating to compliments, representations and complaints received and representations by Members of Parliament be noted.

*3 Local Government Ombudsman: Annual Report for 2012/13 and Ombudsman s Annual Review Letter

The Committee considered the joint report of the Ombudsman Link Officer and Head of Business Strategy and Support Services (BSS/13/8 - text only | pdf BSS/13/8) on the outcome of complaints lodged and/or determined during 2012/13 and on the Ombudsman s Annual Review for the same period.

Members were disappointed at the lack of any detailed information of or commentary by the Ombudsman on the Council s performance in 2012/13 due to the latters lack of resources and other priorities which did not therefore provide any useful yardstick or indicators for comparative purposes.

Members nonetheless noted that none of the complaints received had resulted in any finding of maladministration against the County Council or any question of probity raised by a complainant nor had the Ombudsman raised any significant areas of concern in relation to the handling of cases.

It was MOVED by Mr Bull, SECONDED by Councillor Hill, and

RESOLVED

(a) that the complaints made to the Local Government Ombudsman referred to the Council during 2012/13 and their outcomes be noted;

(b) that the Ombudsman s Annual Letter for the year ending 31 March 2013 be noted;

(c) that the complaint made to the EFA referred to the Council during 2012/13 and its outcome be noted.

*4 Ethical Governance Framework - Independent Monitoring

The Committee considered the report of the County Solicitor (CS/13/28 - text only | pdf CS/13/28) 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.

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

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

*5 The New Standards Regime

The County Solicitor reported on the satisfactory operation of the revised Code of Conduct and arrangements for assessing and determining complaints adopted by the Council from 1 July 2012.

Members acknowledged problems experienced in some Councils relating in particular to planning matters which had not, fortunately, been reflected at the County Council.

*6 Local Determination of Complaints: Case Handling Information

The County Solicitor reported that, since the last meeting, two complaints concerning alleged breaches of the Members Code of Conduct had been received relating to declaration of interests and inappropriate use of language. Following initial assessments of the complaints and consultation, in each case, with an Independent Person appointed by the Council it had been agreed that no further action should be taken on either of the complaints on the basis that both were relatively straightforward issues which did not warrant recourse to the full process and/or a formal investigation and could easily be remedied, by way of a local settlement, as outlined, through an amendment to a members General Declaration of interests and a retraction/apology.

*DENOTES DELEGATED MATTER WITH POWER TO ACT

The meeting started at 2.15pm and finished at 2.49pm.

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