Thursday, 21 August 2008
Introduction to Policies & ProtocolsUnder section 53 of the Local Government Act 2000, your Council must set up a Standards Committee.
The Standards Committee has five Statutory Functions - It must:
The Standards Committee is made up of Independent Members and Elected Councillors. The Standards (Parish Council) Sub-Committee is made up of Parish Councillors and two Independent Members.
The Independent Members have the majority of seats on the Committee, and come from a range of varying backgrounds within local communities across the Borough of Doncaster. Whenever the Standards Committee considers a matter relating to Parish Councillors the Parish Council representative must be present.
Chairman of the Standards Committee is - Mr R. Booth
Vice-Chair of the Standards Committee is - Councillor Chris Mills
Councillors: Kevin Abell, Peter Farrell, Carol Williams and Yvonne Woodcock
Co-opted Members: Mr K Allsopp, Mr P Beavers, Mr J Flitcroft, Mr D Harle, Mr K Lincoln and Mr G Swann.
Parish Council Representative: Parish Councillors Lynn Hunter and Malcolm Wood.
Each Local Authority has a Code of Conduct that sets out the rules governing the behaviour of its Members.
Within two months of being elected, Members must sign up to the Local Authorities Code of Conduct (or if a Parish Councillor the relevent Parish Councils Code of Conduct). Members who must sign up include all Elected Members, Co-opted and Independent Members.
Members must also sign a Declaration of Interest Form and declare interests where relevant at meetings.
The Standards Committee can monitor the effectiveness of the code. Where it is alleged to have been breached, and a referral received from the Standards Board for England, it can determine whether the allegation is founded and set a sanction ranging from no further action to 3 months suspension.
Introduction to the website of the Department for Communities and Local Government (previously known as the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM))
ODPM was created as a central department in its own right in May 2002.
It is responsible for policy on housing, planning, devolution, regional and local government and the fire service. It also takes responsibility for the Social Exclusion Unit, the Neighbourhood Renewal Unit and the Government Offices for the Regions.
Section contents:
Use the links above or below to visit the website of the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG).
