9 AUGTUST 2006 STANDARDS in
public life have never been better controlled nor more in the
public eye. Harrogate Council is seeking a new
independent member to sit on its standard committees.
The council is required to set up a standards committee and a
standards sub committee and by law is also required to have at
least a quarter of their members coming from outside the publicly
elected 54 councillors.
The retirement of Len Pinkney who has been a member of the
Standards Committee since it was formed has left a vacancy the
council is seeking to fill.
Stephen Prosser, the council's Monitoring Officer,
said: "Harrogate Borough Council believes it is
right and proper that those elected to public office should have
the very highest of standards and, in cases of a breach of those
standards, that they should be properly
investigated. The integrity of the process is
safeguarded by involving these independent members of the public,
two of whom are elected as chair.
"Len has played a very important role and we are very grateful
to him for his support in the years when we have established the
committees. He has been an invaluable member of
the council's standards process."
The committees are responsible for promoting the high
standards of conduct of members of the council and the parishes in
the district. They also develop the training
offered to councillors and adjudicate on complaints that they have
not acted in accordance with the council's own Members' Code of
Conduct.
Since the new rules were introduced in 2000, the committee has
considered reports on two alleged breaches of the Members'
Code. In one case they found that the code had
been broken but an apology from the councillor concerned was
sufficient. In the other case, they agreed that
there had been no breach.
The number of meetings varies every year but is generally no
more than six. An annual allowance of
£1250 is paid.
Anyone interested in joining the council as independent member
of the standards committee or sub committee should contact the
council's Monitoring Officer, Stephen Prosser on 01423 556034 or
Jennifer Norton from the council's legal team on 01423
556036.