Venue: Hybrid - Neuadd Cyngor Ceredigion, Penmorfa, Aberaeron / remotely via video conference
Contact: Lisa Evans
No. | Item |
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Apologies Minutes: |
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Chair's Announcements Minutes: None. |
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Declaration of personal / prejudicial interest Minutes: Councillor Keith Henson declared a personal interest in the meeting, due to his role as a Community Councillor for Llansantffraed Community Council. |
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Enclosure 3, 4 and 5 relating to the item above is not for publication as it contains exempt information as defined in paragraph 12 of Part 4 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 as amended by the Local Government (Access to information) (Variation) (Wales) Order 2007. If, following the application of the Public Interest Test, the Council resolves to consider this item in private, the public and press will be excluded from the meeting during such consideration, in accordance with Section 100B(2) of the Act. Members will be requested, when dealing with the items, to consider whether to exclude the public and press from the Meeting. Additional documents:
Minutes: First Stage - Preliminary issues The Committee considered preliminary issues including
correspondence and relevant documentation and witnesses in accordance with the
Committee's Hearing procedure (para 37). The Committee
AGREED: a)
to adopt the Ceredigion County Council’s
procedure as set out in Part 5 Document S of the Constitution (the “Hearings
Procedure”) b)
following application of the public interest
test, c)
to defer the decision as to whether to hear
evidence from the Member’ witnesses) until the Finding of Fact stage. The
Committee did not wish to call any additional witnesses. Second Stage - Findings of Fact The Committee considered the Ombudsman’s written report and
documents submitted by the Member and the Ombudsman in accordance with the
Committee's Hearing procedure (paras 38-44). The Committee also considered the
oral submissions from the Ombudsman’ representative, the Member, the Member’s
representative and a witness of fact. The Committee made findings of fact in relation to
undisputed facts on balance of probabilities in accordance with the Committee's
Hearing procedure (paras 45-51). Stage 3 - Code of Conduct for Members The Committee found on balance of probabilities that the
Member’ conduct had breached the
following paragraph of Ceredigion County Council/ Llansantffraed Community
Council Code of Conduct for Members: “6. (1) You
must — (a) not conduct yourself in a
manner which could reasonably be regarded as bringing your office or authority
into disrepute” Action to be taken/Sanction In accordance with the Committee's Hearing procedure (paras 52-57), the Committee AGREED that: a) In respect of the matter relating to Councillor Andrew Phillips of Llansantffraed Community Council, the Committee accordingly decided to exercise its power under Regulation 9 Local Government Investigations (Functions of Monitoring Officers and Standards Committees) (Wales) Regulations 2001, as amended, that the Member should be censured. |