PURPOSE OF REPORT

To present the Standards Committee annual report to the Fire and Rescue Authority as required by legislation; and to ask Members to approve the Committee’s revised terms of reference.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

As a matter of good corporate governance the Standards Committee provides the Authority with an annual report on its activities during each financial year.

Consequently the Committee’s fifteenth annual report is attached for Members’ consideration.

RECOMMENDATIONS

That Members

(i)            note the Standards Committee’s annual report for 2019/20;

(ii)           approve the revised terms of reference for the Standards Committee;

(iii)          place on record the Authority’s thanks to Antony P Young for being a member of the Committee for eight years and request the Chair write a letter of thanks;

(iv)         appoint a new elected member to the Standards Committee;

(v)          confirm the term of office for Gill Murgatroyd as 4 years from 1 September 2019.

INFORMATION

The Authority’s website historically states that “The Fire and Rescue Authority representatives on this Committee cannot be an office holder on the Authority.” The source of this decision is unknown and has not come from legislation. Cllr D Rees was not an office holder when elected to the Committee but has since become vice chair of the Authority.

Members of the Committee discussed the matter and it was considered that whilst in reality having a FRA office holder on the Committee was not an issue, the perception could be viewed otherwise. It was therefore decided to request that a new member, who is not an office holder, be appointed to the Committee.

The resolution appointing Gill Murgatroyd as an Independent Member of the Standards Committee did not include her term of office. The term of office for the Independent Member appointed at the same time was 4 years and the two periods should be consistent.