Issue - meetings

Report of Assistant Director Law and Governance and Monitoring Officer

Purpose of report

To provide the Committee an annual report on matters relating to standards and conduct of Members within the Cherwell District at District and Parish level, complaints made to the Local Government Ombudsman and other matters for the municipal year of 2023/2024.

Recommendations

The Accounts, Audit and Risk Committee resolves:

1.1     To note the content of the report, which will also be circulated to all Town and Parish Councils in the district for information.

Resolved

(1)  That the Monitoring Officer report including the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman Annual Report be noted and it be noted it would be circulated to all Town and Parish Councils in the district for information.

The Assistant Director Law and Governance and Monitoring Officer submitted a report to provide the Committee with an annual report on matters relating to standards and conduct of Members within the Cherwell District at District and Parish level, complaints made to the Local Government Ombudsman and other matters for the municipal year of 2023/2024.

In introducing the report, the Assistant Director Law and Governance and Monitoring Officer explained that it was incumbent on the Monitoring Officer to report on the functions for which he was responsible, including Code of Conduct matters.

The Committee was advised that none of the complaints raised had led to detailed investigations as the complaints had been dealt with at the initial stage and that ethical standards across the district including Parish and Town councils remained good.

With regard to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman Annual Report, the Committee was advised that one complaint had been upheld by the Ombudsman but overall there were no serious concerns raised by the report.

In response to a question regarding comparative data in the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman Annual Report, the Assistant Director Law and Governance and Monitoring Officer advised that the figure of 100% complaints upheld was higher than the national average of 63% due to the fact there was only one complaint.

Resolved

(1)            That the Monitoring Officer report including the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman Annual Report be noted and it be noted it would be circulated to all Town and Parish Councils in the district for information.