Present:-

Councillors Gribble (Chairman), Chugg and Moulding

Mrs Mayes and Mrs Saltmarsh

Apologies:-

Councillors Barisic and Colthorpe and Alderman Turner

*14 Minutes

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 30 June 2014 be signed as a correct record.

*15 Corporate Feedback Monitoring Report

The Committee considered the Report of the Head of Business Strategy and Support Services (BSS/14/16) on compliments, representations and complaints received and handled by the Council in the first quarter of 2014/15.

Members noted that 80% of stage 1 complaints across the Council had received a response within the required timescale - a significant improvement in performance compared to the previous Quarter and that Children s Social Care Services had also made steady progressing in improving complaint response times over the last two quarters, achieving a 53% compliance rate in this latest quarter. Further improvements were expected in the second quarter of this year and it was anticipated that the upward trend would continue into the future.

It was MOVED by Councillor Gribble, SECONDED by Councillor Moulding, and

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

*16 Local Government Ombudsman: Annual Report for 2013/14 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/14/15 - supplementary information BSS/14/15) on the outcome of complaints lodged and/or determined during 2013/14 and on the Ombudsman s Annual Review for 2014.

The Report s contents reflected the changes in how the Ombudsman was now working and her revised definitions for the determination of complaint outcomes, as previously reported (Minute 8/30 June 2104 refers).

Members noted that, nationally, the Ombudsman had upheld an average of 46% of complaints. For the County Council this figure was 40.3% and compared with the County Councils CIPFA comparators, it was also in the top percentile. In the main those complaints which had been escalated to the Ombudsman related to Adult Social Care, Education and Highways; similar again to the Council s CIPFA comparators. Similarly, and in relation to the apparently high number of complaints received, the number of complaints per head of population were again well within normal parameters and Members were assured that there was no cause for concern.

Members welcomed the fact 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.

The Local Government Ombudsman had also published separately, for 2013/14, a review of complaints about Adult Social Care and Members again welcomed the fact that there were no issues raised within this report in terms of the Council s performance and therefore no cause for concern.

It was MOVED by Councillor Gribble, SECONDED by Councillor Moulding, and

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

*17 Ethical Governance

(a) Survey Results

The Committee considered the report of the County Solicitor (CS/14/37 - text only | pdf CS/14/37) summarising the results of the second ethical governance audit and self-assessment survey of County Councillors and Officers undertaken earlier this year.

The audit/assessment had been undertaken to help the Committee assess, inter alia, how the Council met the ethical agenda, what it meant to the way in which the Council worked, how the Council complied with ethical standards and whether or not any improvements might be needed.

Members noted that the overall response rate to this was 59.5% which while lower than might have been expected nonetheless compared favourably with the response rate of 47% in 2009. 63% of County Councillors responded with the response from Officers and Co-opted members being only 48%.

The Report summarised the responses received and notwithstanding that rate of return the Committee was pleased to note that, in general, the responses received had been by and large positive.

The Ethical Governance Survey provided a valuable snapshot of respondents understanding of the ethical or corporate governance frameworks of the County Council and raises a number of questions which might help improve the frameworks as determined by the Standards Committee. Moreover, the Survey should be seen as a means of raising awareness among Members and the public to the importance the Council attributed to this area of its business.

It was MOVED by Councillor Gribble, SECONDED by Councillor Moulding, and

RESOLVED

(i) that the Committee note the responses to the Ethical Governance Survey and the continuing need to reinforce the need for and adherence to the Council s ethical or corporate governance frameworks;

(ii) that the Monitoring Officer be asked to continue to provide regular refresher briefings on the Council's Ethical Governance Framework, as appropriate, incorporating the issues and suggestions referred to in paragraphs 6 and 9 of Report CS/14/37 - text only | pdf CS/14/37;

(iii) that future Annual Reports should also contain information an any whistle-blowing investigations undertaken relating to the Count Council's activities and any resulting action taken;

(iv) that a further self-assessment survey be undertaken by Members, external co-opted Members, the Corporate Leadership Team and the Heads of Service in five years time;

(b) Monitoring

The Committee received the report of the County Solicitor (CS/14/376) 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.

(c) Committee on Standards in Public Life: Annual Report 2013/2014

The Committee received, for information, a copy of the Annual Report of the Committee on Standards in Public Life noting, in particular, the4 comments/views expressed at paragraphs 20, 35-37 and 43-47 where the messages about those in public life (and local government in particular) are broadly positive while acknowledging the concerns expressed previously throughout the local government community about the sanctions available under the new Standards regime.

*18 Local Determination of Complaints: Case Handling Information

It was MOVED by Councillor Gribble, SECONDED by Councillor Moulding, and

RESOLVED

(a) that the minutes of the Hearing Sub-Committee held on 6 October 2014 be approved; and

(b) that the Committee notes that no complaints had been received concerning alleged breaches of the Members Code of Conduct since the last meeting,

*19 Membership

The County Solicitor reported that following the recent resignation from the Committee of Mr M Bull and in light of the earlier resignation of Professor Forsythe the Council s Procedures Committee had authorised her to seek and process applications to fill those vacancies.

Nominations had been sought for consideration in the normal way but no expressions of interest had yet been received. Any suggestions of suitable persons from Political Group Leaders or Members of this Committee would also be explored.

*DENOTES DELEGATED MATTER WITH POWER TO ACT

The meeting started at 2.15pm and finished at 3.01pm.

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