Meeting Details

Members are reminded that they should declare any personal and/or prejudicial interests at this point and that they should leave the meeting before any item, in which they have a prejudicial interest, is discussed.

Members are asked to agree the minutes of the last meeting of the Standards Committee, held on 24 July 2006, and that they be signed as a correct record.

To receive any questions, statements or petitions, of which notice has been received, from members of the public. At the last meeting of the Standards Committee a Member asked whether it was commonplace for Standards Committees to receive public questions and the Clerk undertook to look into the matter. Having carried out a random check of six authorities (three of which were fire authorities), officers have not found any reference to public questions in the minutes of their Standards Committees. Accordingly, the Committee is asked to decide whether it wishes to include this item on the agenda in future. For decision.

Presentation Peter Rowland, the Convenor of the West Mercia Independent Members’ Forum, will attend the meeting to give a presentation on the work of the Forum. Minutes To receive the minutes of the meeting of the West Midlands Independent Members’ Forum, held in Oswestry on 7 June 2006. To follow marked 5. For information.

This report updates the Standards Committee on the latest position regarding the completion of the Register of Members’ Interests form.

Attached, marked 7, is the latest bulletin (no.30 July 2006) issued by the Standards Board for England, a copy of which was emailed to all Members (including the two Independent Members of the Standards Committee) on 9 August 2006. As previously agreed by the Committee, the bulletin is now brought to Members for discussion.

Attached, marked 8, is a draft of the Ethical Standards Bulletin, which will be published by Borough of Telford & Wrekin in mid October, when a copy will be emailed to all Members (including the two Independent Members of the Standards Committee). As previously agreed by the Committee, the Bulletin (in draft) is brought to Members for discussion.

Currently all meetings of the Standards Committee commence at 5.00pm. In order to ensure that all Members are able to attend the meetings the Committee is asked to consider whether future meetings commence at the later time of 5.30pm. For decision