Decision - Constitutional Matters: Audit & Standards Committee

1) That the committee's terms of reference, as set out in Appendix 1 to this report, be noted; and 2) That the Committee formally approved the establishment of a Standards Panel in accordance with the terms of reference proposed in Appendix 1, and in accordance with the procedure described at para 3.9 of this Report for the Panel's composition; and 3) That the Committee gives the Monitoring Officer delegated authority to make any changes to the Procedure for Dealing with Allegations of Breaches of the Code of Conduct for Members and related documents considered necessary to enact recommendation 2.2 above.

The report sets out the Audit & Standards Committee’s terms of reference and seeks formal approval to establish a Standards Panel. The Panel would determine allegations of breaches of the Code of Conduct for Members and would comprise three to five trained elected members plus one Independent Person as non-voting chair.