Agenda and minutes

None were made.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Committee meetings held on the 9th

November 2016 and 27th March 2017 be approved as a correct record and

signed by the Chair.

Presentation by Head of Law.

All members of the Committee and officers present introduced themselves to

other members of the Committee. Gratitude was extended to the previous

Chair, Councillor Colin Elliott.

Kathy Nicholson, Head of Law made a presentation to the committee on “The

Role of the Standards Committee”. A handout of prepared slides was given to

those members present.

During the course of the presentation members of the Committee raised

various questions and made suggestions to ensure that ethical standards in

Lewisham remains high and to review current practice in Lewisham as against

practice elsewhere in London. Councillor Hall requested a comparison as to

what other London authorities do in relation to the composition of Committees.

RESOLVED that the presentation by Kath Nicholson, Head of Law and

Monitoring Officer be noted.

Paul Aladenika, Principal Policy Officer, introduced the report and explained

that this is a standard report presented to the Committee annually.

A brief discussion followed and an enquiry was raised as to whether there

was a better way of interrogating the Code of Corporate Governance. It was

explained that this Committee had approved the Local Code of Corporate

Governance and had recommended its adoption to Council.  .

It was explained that examples are provided within the report to demonstrate

compliance with the Code. It was noted that the current report fails to make

any reference to two contemporary activities which should properly be

incorporated in the review. It was also suggested that consideration be given

to a reference to the Overview and Scrutiny mid- term review within the review

of the Code of Corporate Governance. It was agreed that revisions would be

made and a further report be presented to the next meeting of the Standards

Committee.

It was suggested that this would be an opportune time to look at making the

Code more customer friendly and accessible. 

An enquiry was made as to the inspection regime following the abolition of the

Audit Commission. It was agreed that officers will provide Committee

members with the requested information clearly demonstrating those areas no

longer inspected following the abolition of the Audit Commission.

RESOLVED that:

(i)         the review of the Local Code of Corporate Governance be revised to

include additional examples of Council activity and be brought to the next

meeting of the Committee.

(ii)        officers provide Committee members with information confirming

Council provision which is no longer inspected post Audit Commission

abolition.

(iii)       the report be otherwise noted

Kath Nicholson, Head of Law and Monitoring Officer presented the item and

invited the Committee to comment.

As resolved at Item 4 an amended review on the Local Code of Corporate

Governance be brought to the next meeting of the Committee. It was also

suggested that a report on the Council’s use of its powers under the

Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 also be brought to the next

meeting of the Standards Committee.

RESOLVED that the work programme shown in paragraph 3.3 be agreed and

that a revised report on the Local Code of Corporate Governance and on the

Council’s use of powers under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act

2000 be brought to the next meeting of the Standards Committee.

DATE OF NEXT MEETING: 17th October 2017

The meeting ended at 8:10pm