Agenda and draft minutes

To receive declarations of interest from Members in respect of items listed on the agenda.

There were no declarations of interest.

To consider whether the press and public should be excluded from the meeting during consideration of any part of the agenda.

Under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for Agenda Items 7 and 8 (Consideration of Whistleblowing Policy and Complaints) on the grounds that their appendices involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.

Resolved:-  That, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for (Minute Nos. 17 and 18 (Whistleblowing and Complaints) on the grounds that the appendices to those reports involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.

To consider and approve the minutes of the previous meeting held on 11^th June, 2026 as a true and correct record of the proceedings and signed by the Chair.

Resolved:-   That the minutes of the previous meeting held on 11^th June, 2026 were approved as a true and correct record of the proceedings.

With regards to Minute No. 5 (Civility and Respect Pledge) and the second resolution, this had not yet been undertaken, but the Deputy Monitoring Officer confirmed he would be sending a further reminder to Town and Parish Councils on the benefits to encourage them to sign up to the Pledge shortly.

To receive a verbal update on the Government’s strengthening of the standards regime in England,

The Deputy Monitoring Officer provided a verbal update on the latest position on proposed reforms to the Standards regime. Members were advised that the most recent update, reported in the Municipal Journal last week, indicated that Whitehall officials were continuing to explore options to strengthen the Standards Framework despite the absence of a primary legislative vehicle.

While proposed Standards reforms were not included in any specific legislation announced in the King's Speech earlier this year, the Government remained committed to wider system reform.  Proposed measures included the introduction of powers to suspend Councillors for misconduct and the ability to withhold allowances where standards of behaviour fell below the required level.

Members were informed that senior Whitehall officials were considering alternative routes to progress the reforms and were continuing to engage with the Local Government sector to develop policy proposals. The intention was for the reforms to be ready for introduction when Parliamentary time allowed.

Local authorities remained keen to see the introduction of a more robust and enforceable Standards regime.

Resolved:-  That the update be received and the content noted.

To consider the work undertaken by the Standards and Ethics Committee Working Group in completing the Local Government Association Debate Not Hate self-assessment toolkit.

Consideration was given to the report presented by the Deputy Monitoring Officer, which outlined the work undertaken by the Standards and Ethics Committee Working Group following completion of the Local Government Association's Debate Not Hate self-assessment toolkit.

The Working Group had been established in the previous year and had held a number of meetings between November 2025 and July 2026. During this period, evidence was gathered from a range of internal and external stakeholders to assess the Council's arrangements against the five principles of the Debate Not Hate framework.

The Working Group agreed to consider each of the self-assessment toolkit’s five principles in turn which were:-

•                Creating supportive and informed spaces.

•                Creating a risk-led approach.

•                Creating an infrastructure.

•                Creating connections.

•                Creating a culture of safety and respect.

The Working Group used the toolkit questions to structure discussion and evidence gathering.

Members were advised that the Working Group had reviewed the Council's arrangements against the Debate Not Hate principles and found that comprehensive systems and support mechanisms were already in place.  However, opportunities had been identified to improve awareness, visibility and accessibility of the support available to Members.

The Group considered the range of wellbeing and support services available, including health and safety arrangements, Member resources and support initiatives. It was concluded that these could be brought together more effectively through improved signposting, communications and the development of a dedicated Member Wellbeing Guide and Hub.

In relation to personal safety, the Group reviewed the Council's approach to supporting Members who experienced abuse, harassment or intimidation. Strong arrangements were in place, including referral pathways and support from the Police where appropriate. However, the Group identified opportunities for refresher training, greater awareness of social media risks and more consistent recording of incidents.

The Group also considered reporting and escalation arrangements and found that clear reporting routes and support mechanisms were available. It was felt that further promotion of these processes and a review of guidance could help ensure Members were fully aware of how to access support when required.

Partnership working with the Police and other relevant organisations was also reviewed.  Effective liaison and information sharing arrangements were found to be in place. However, it was recognised that some incidents, while distressing for Members, did not meet the threshold for enforcement action or prosecution. The Group, therefore, considered that there was value in strengthening feedback mechanisms and continuing to work closely with partners, particularly the Police, while also supporting wider lobbying efforts to address abuse and intimidation in public life.

The Group concluded that the Council already had a strong culture of safety and respect, supported by previous cross-party commitments and clear democratic leadership. However, it was considered that further communication and awareness-raising activity would help reinforce expectations around respectful engagement and acceptable standards of behaviour.

Members were reminded that the work was not intended to prevent criticism or robust democratic debate, which remained essential parts of public life, but to ensure that abuse, harassment and intimidation were  ...  view the full minutes text for item 16.

To give consideration to a report regarding concerns raised pursuant to the Whistleblowing Policy and the actions taken to address these matters.

Consideration was given to the report and appendix presented by the Deputy Monitoring Officer, which provided an overview of the Whistleblowing cases which have been received over the past year.

Particular reference was made to the appendix to the report which set out clearly the description of the concerns received and action taken.  From the cases there were no particular trends just one-off issues.

Unfortunately, due to staff absence updates were pending, but any particular concerns would be taken back.

Members discussed the distinction between grievance procedures and whistleblowing arrangements, questioning whether employees fully understood the difference between the two processes and when each should be used. It was noted that whistleblowing procedures should be reserved for reporting genuine concerns in the public interest rather than matters that could be addressed through management channels or personal reporting routes.

The importance of promoting awareness of the Whistleblowing Policy was highlighted, with a suggestion that additional training or communications could be delivered internally to improve understanding of the process, the protections available to individuals who raised concerns and the appropriate use of the procedure.

Concerns were also raised about the length of time taken to resolve some cases, particularly those that have remained open since 2024.

The Committee was advised that any safeguarding concerns were reviewed and addressed promptly through regular oversight arrangements. However, many cases related to employment matters, where investigations could be complex and take a considerable period to conclude.

Feedback regarding investigation timescales would be taken forward for consideration.

Clarification was also sought regarding the continued inclusion of older cases within committee reports and it was confirmed that the reporting process was cumulative, with cases remaining in the report until they were closed and subsequently removed once they fell outside the reporting period.

A suggestion was made that an analysis of whistleblowing cases be undertaken to identify how many represented genuine whistleblowing concerns. The findings could then be used to inform future training, awareness-raising activities and improvements to the reporting process. This proposal was welcomed and would be considered further.

Resolved:-   That the Whistleblowing concerns raised over the previous year and the actions taken to address these matters be noted.

To give consideration to a report updating the Committee on the Complaints received against Members of the Council, and Town and Parish Councillors alleging a breach of the Code of Conduct.

Consideration was given to the report presented by the Deputy Monitoring Officer, detailing the progress with the handling of complaints relating to breaches of the Council’s Code of Conduct for Members and Town and Parish Councillors.  The report listed the current cases of complaint and the action being taken in respect of each one.

Reference was made to each related case and recommended outcomes/actions identified were highlighted.

Discussion ensued on the findings relating to standards of behaviour, noting that a significant proportion of complaints related to conduct issues and concerns about the culture of some meetings. It was recognised that repeated instances of poor behaviour and a lack of civility could contribute to wider tensions, including interactions outside formal meetings.

Members were advised that work was ongoing to promote the Civility and Respect Pledge and to encourage participation in relevant training opportunities.

Particular concerns were raised regarding standards issues within Parish Councils where it was observed that complaints often stemmed from interpersonal disputes and longstanding local disagreements.  It was suggested that a greater emphasis on early intervention, mediation and direct engagement with those involved may help address underlying issues and reduce the number of formal complaints.

The Committee also considered whether stronger local accountability and support arrangements could encourage more effective resolution of concerns before they escalated.

It was noted that the Borough Council had a statutory responsibility to maintain standards arrangements and provide a mechanism for complaints to be submitted.  Whilst local resolution was encouraged wherever possible, this was not always achievable in practice, but there was consensus that promoting positive culture, cohesion and effective working relationships remained key to reducing complaints and improving governance outcomes.

Potential future actions included further engagement through existing Parish Council networks, consideration of peer-support initiatives and exploring opportunities to share best practice and learning across the sector.

The Committee was advised that a more detailed update would be provided at a future meeting and apologies were offered for delays in progressing some actions due to staff absence.

Resolved:-  That the report be received and the contents noted.

To determine any item which the Chair is of the opinion should be considered as a matter of urgency.

The Chair advised that there were no urgent items of business requiring the Committee’s consideration.