Agenda item

Following on from its referral at the previous meeting in March 2026, this report presents the Monitoring Officer’s Annual Report to the Audit and Standards Advisory Committee (ASAC) for 2025. The report provides an update on Member conduct issues and the work of the Audit and Standards Advisory Committee, the Audit and Standards Committee (ASC) and the Monitoring Officer during 2025 together with the quarterly reports for Q3 & Q4 2025-26 on gifts and hospitality registered by Members and the status of Member training following the May 2026 elections.

Members are asked to note that the report also includes details on a proposed amendment to the Members’ Code of Conduct Complaints Procedure, which (subject to approval) will require referral to the Audit & Standards Committee for formal approval and adoption. The amendment relates to the proposed extension of the normal deadline for carrying out an initial assessment under the Members’ Code of Conduct Complaints Procedure to 15 working days.

Bianca Robinson (Principal Lawyer, Constitution, Governance and Finance) introduced a report from the Corporate Director Finance & Resources presenting the Monitoring Officer's Annual 2025 which provided an update on Member conduct issues and the work of the Monitoring Officer during 2025 together with the Q2 & Q3 quarterly reports on gifts and hospitality registered by Members and status of Member training following the May 2026 elections. In presenting the report, the following key points were highlighted:

·            The summary of the Committee's work on standards-related issues during 2025, including monitoring of member declarations of gifts and hospitality, attendance at mandatory training, standards-related case law, use of RIPA powers, the Annual Governance Statement, and the consultation on changes to the national standards regime undertaken during 2025, as detailed within sections 3.2 and 3.3 of the report.

·            The summary of gifts and hospitality declared by members during Q3 & 4 2025–26, as detailed within Appendix B of the report.

·            The summary of complaints (totalling ten) which had been received by the Monitoring Officer during 2025 alleging breaches of the Members’ Code of Conduct. Of these complaints, members were advised three had not progressed beyond the Initial Assessment Stage; six had not progressed beyond the Assessment Criteria Stage and one had not progressed beyond the Review Stage with a summary of each complaint and outcome detailed within Appendix A of the report.

Having reviewed the experience in dealing with the complaints received, members were advised of the time consuming nature in their investigation and assessment with the disposal of complaints even at relatively early stages of the process often identified as requiring the need for engagement and consultation with an Independent Person.  Whilst the current Code of Conduct Complaints Procedure required the Monitoring Officer to carry out an initial assessment of complaints within 10 working days officers were now of the view (based on the number and nature of complaints being received) that a more realistic timescale was required in order to better manage expectations and reflect the time required for assessment, with it therefore recommended to the Audit and Standards Committee that the normal timeframe for carrying out initial assessments be increased from 10 to 15 working days.

·            One Monitoring Officer advice note had been issued during 2025 providing practical guidance on the behaviours that would and would not constitute bullying (under paragraph 8 of the Code) and intimidation (under paragraph 9 of the Code).

·            All mandatory member training had been completed during 2025. Following the May 2026 local borough elections, a new mandatory member programme was underway, on which updates would continue to be provided for the Committee.

Having thanked Bianca Robinson for the report, the Chair invited questions and comments from the Committee, with the following issues raised:

·            Whilst supportive of the recommended extension of the timescale for initial assessment of complaints by the Monitoring Officer under the Code of Conduct procedure, members were keen to ensure this was subject to ongoing review to ensure the extended period improved the quality of assessments, rather than simply extending processing time with assurance sought regarding how performance and compliance in this respect would continue to be monitored against the new deadline.  In response, members were advised that the date each complaint was received and responded to was already tracked with future reports to include an assessment of compliance against the 15-day target.

·            The need identified to ensure members were reminded about the importance of timeliness in relation to the declaring of gifts and hospitality, with members having noted the delay in certain gifts being declared in the latest monitoring update within Appendix B of the report.  In addition, it was noted that the name of the person donating the gift registered under Item 6 within Appendix B required correction, which officers advised would be amended.

·            In response to a query regarding the application of sanctions under the Members Code of Conduct Complaints Procedure identified within case 7 in Appendix A of the report, members requested that further details were provided for the Committee (outside of the meeting) on the way in which sanctions were applied when assessing the outcome of different types of complaint, which officers advised would be arranged.

With no further questions raised, it was RESOLVED:

(1)    To note the contents of the Annual Standards Report for 2025; and

(2)    To approve the recommendation to the Audit and Standards Committee that the normal deadline for carrying out an initial assessment under the Members' Code of Conduct Complaints Procedure be extended to 15 working days.