Agenda item

Governance Working Group

To consider the report of the Head of Legal and Democratic Services (attached).

Minutes:

The Council received a report detailing the items considered the recent meeting of the Governance Working Group, which included recommendations on updating the following documents:

 

(i)     Members’ Code of Conduct,

(ii)    Arrangements for Dealing with Allegations of Misconduct,

(iii)   Planning Code of Practice for Councillors and Officers,

(iv)   ICT Code of Practice for Members.

 

The Code of Conduct for Members was considered and it was suggested that a section should be added on the use of Social Media. Members were advised that the Social Media Protocol for Councillors was included in the Documents Which Support the Constitution and the Code of Conduct would apply if the relevant Member was deemed to be acting as a councillor when participating on social media. It was agreed to ask the Working Group to add the Social Media Protocol to its Work Programme.

 

Members discussed the proposed changes to the ICT Code of Practice. In addition to rolling out Multi Factor Authentication to further enhanced security when accessing email and data, it was proposed to upgrade existing Microsoft licences to enable access to OneDrive for Business and Office apps for iPad. This had been proposed in response to previous conversations about the lack of digital storage for Members. Concerns were raised about whether, at the present time, Members could meet the requirements in respect of storage proposed in the changes to the Code; it was advised that there were opportunities for emails being stored in sub folders within the email system, which would meet these amended requirements in the Code.

 

RESOLVED that

 

(i)        the Members’ Code of Conduct at Part 5, Section A of the Constitution be updated as set out at Annex A to this report;

 

(ii)      the Arrangements for dealing with allegations of misconduct under Section 28 Localism Act 2011 at Part D of the Documents Which Support the Constitution, be updated as set out at Annex B to this report;

 

(iii)     the Planning Code of Practice for Councillors and Officers at Part 5, Section D of the Constitution be updated as set out at Annex C to this report; and

 

(iv)     the ICT Code of Practice for Members at Part 5, Section C of the Constitution be updated as set out at Annex D to this report.

 

Note: In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 17.5, Councillor Victoria Wheeler recorded her vote against the decision.

 

 

Supporting documents: