Issue - meetings

The purpose of this report is to update the Audit and Standards Advisory Committee on gifts and hospitality registered by Members during Q4 2023-24 and on member training.

Debra Norman, Corporate Director of Law & Governance, introduced a report updating the Audit and Standards Advisory Committee on gifts and hospitality registered by Members during Q4 2023-24 and Member Learning & Development activity.

The Committee noted the following key points:

·             The update on Gifts and Hospitality registered by members in the fourth quarter of 2023-24, as detailed in Appendix A of the report.

·             In relation to member attendance at mandatory training sessions, the Committee was advised that all members had completed their core mandatory refresher training.

The Committee was then invited to raise any comments/issues on the update provided, which are summarised below:

·             Confirmation was provided that the cycle of mandatory training had commenced again for the 2024-25 Municipal Year, on which further updates would continue to be provided for the Committee.

·             In relation to Gifts & Hospitality, the Committee was advised no limit had been set for the maximum amount of any gift or hospitality that individual members were permitted to receive.  It would therefore be a matter of judgement for each member to consider, with the formal requirement to register any gifts or hospitality received in an official capacity being for an estimated value of at least £50 (including any series of individual gifts and hospitality received from the same person totalling £50 or above over the course of a Municipal Year).

As no further issues were raised the Chair thanked Debra Norman for the update provided and it was RESOLVED to note the content of the report.