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Standards Committee
26 October 2009

11.30pm
Committee Room 4, City Hall, The Queen's Walk, London SE1 2AA

Please note that there will be informal training for Members of the Committee at 2pm on a hearing of a complaint in CR5.

Members of the Committee

Claer Lloyd-Jones (Independent Member) (Chair)
Tony Arbour AM (Deputy Chair)
Richard Barnes, Deputy Mayor
Victoria Borwick AM
Sir David Durie (Independent Member)
Len Duvall AM
Diane Mark (Independent Member)
Caroline Pidgeon AM
Murad Qureshi AM
Sam Younger (Independent Member)
Two Independent Member vacancies

A meeting of the Committee has been called by the Chair of the Committee to deal with the business listed below. This meeting will be open to the public. There is access for disabled people, and induction loops are available.

Mark Roberts, Executive Director of Secretariat
16 October 2009

If you, or someone you know, needs a copy of the agenda, minutes or reports in large print or Braille, or in another language, then please call us on 020 7983 4100 or email assembly.translations@london.gov.uk

Many meetings of the London Assembly and its Committees are webcast live, and you can also view past meetings.

Agenda

Downloadable files for agenda papers are grouped at the end of the page, linked from the appropriate agenda item.

1. Apologies for Absence and Chair’s Announcements

To receive any apologies for absence and any announcements from the Chair.

2. Declarations of Interests

The Committee is recommended to:

1. Note the list of memberships of functional bodies and London Borough Councils, as set out in the table at Item 2;
2. Note gifts and hospitality received by Members, as set out on the Authority’s gifts and hospitality register; and
3. Declare any other personal or personal prejudicial interests in specific items listed on the agenda over and above those items listed in the table at Item 2 and including any interests arising from gifts or hospitality received since 12 September 2007 or, if elected after 12 September 2007, from the date of election to the London Assembly which are not at the time of this meeting reflected on the Authority’s register of gifts and hospitality.

3. Minutes

The Committee is recommended to confirm the minutes of the meeting of the Standards Committee held on 8 July 2009 to be signed by the Chair as a correct record.

4. Summary List of Actions
Report of the Executive Director of Secretariat

The Committee is recommended to note the actions arising from the previous meetings of the Standards Committee.

5. Appointment of Independent Members to the Standards Committee
Report of the Executive Director of Secretariat

The Committee is recommended to note:

1. the appointment of Ms Lucy Dennett and Mr Pradeep Agrawal to serve as Independent Members of the Authority’s Standards Committee with immediate effect and for the period up to 31 January 2014.
2. the reappointment of Claer Lloyd-Jones, as an Independent Member of the Authority’s Standards Committee for a further four year period from 1 February 2010 to 31 January 2014.
   
   noting that such appointments are subject to reconfirmation each year by the Assembly, at its Annual Meeting, and the Mayor.
   
   
3. That the Members of the Selection Sub-Committee note and approve the Minutes of the meetings held on 13 July and 24 August 2009 and that the Members of the Standards Committee note the Minutes.
   

6. Independent Element

Independent Members are requested to inform the Committee if they have acted as an Independent Element in any Mayoral or Board appointments.

7. Alison Kelly, National Lead, Governance and Accountability, Audit Commission
Report of the Executive Director of Secretariat

Alison Kelly, National Lead, Governance and Accountability, Audit Commission has been invited to the Committee to explain about her work and how it might impact on the work of the Standards Committee.

The Committee is recommended to note the report as background to its discussion with Alison Kelly, National Lead, Governance and Accountability, Audit Commission.

8. SSRB Report No.69 – Review of Pay, Pensions and Allowances for the Mayor of London and London Assembly Members 2009
Report of the Chief Executive

The Committee is recommended to:

1. consider and comments to the Mayor of London and London Assembly on the propriety aspects of the recommendations made by the Senior Salaries Review Body (SSRB) in their July 2009 report reviewing the pay, pensions and allowances for the Mayor and Assembly Members (SSRB Report No. 69).
2. That the Standards Committee considers and comments to the Mayor of London and London Assembly on the matters raised in paragraphs 3.7 – 3.13 of the report in relation to the salary of a member suspended from office.
   

9. GLA Expenses and Benefits Framework
Report of the Executive Director of Resources

The Committee is recommended to comment on the GLA’s new draft Expenses and Benefits Framework.

10. Monitoring of Expenses – Mayor and Elected Members (1 April 2009 to 25 September 2009)
Report of the Executive Director of Resources

The Committee is recommended to note the expenses incurred by the Mayor and London Assembly Members in the period 1 April 2009 to 25 September 2009.

11. Monitoring of Expenses – Senior Staff (1 April 2009 to 25 September 2009)
Report of the Executive Director of Resources

The Committee is recommended to note the expenses incurred by senior staff in the period 1 April 2009 to 25 September 2009.

12. Guidance on Gifts and Hospitality
Report of the Monitoring Officer

The Committee is recommended to:

1. Note the contents of the report and the guidance at Appendices A and B on gifts and hospitality for Members and staff; and
2. Note that officers propose to review and revise the guidance for Members and staff and to agree to feedback any comments on both sets of guidance to officers, noting that officers will bring back revised guidance to the 9 March 2010 meeting of the Committee, following the completion of the Ethical Governance Audit.
   

13. Registration and Management of Interests of Mayoral Appointees
Report of the Executive Director of Secretariat

The Committee is recommended to note the Mayor’s response to the Committee’s recommendation that people appointed by the Mayor to serve on bodies or to advise him personally, should have to complete a register of interests form which would be made public.

14. Report on Lobbying
Report of the Monitoring Officer

That the Committee notes the advice contained in this report and gives consideration to either:

1. the drafting of general guidelines on lobbying as proposed in paragraph 4.4.1 of this report for the Committee's subsequent approval; or
2. undertaking a review as to the role and nature of lobbying at the GLA, as proposed in paragraph 4.4.4 so that the Committee can consider commissioning the preparation of more detailed and specific guidance and procedures which may include:
   1. the preparation of draft guidelines on lobbying possibly including specific guidelines for separate parts of the GLA as proposed in paragraph 4.4.1 of the report; and
   2. the Committee taking a monitoring and training role in respect of lobbying activity as proposed in paragraph 4.4.2 of the report.
      

15. Update on Local Assessment of Complaints
Report of the Monitoring Officer

The Committee is recommended to note the report;

1. That the relevant Members of the Assessment Sub-Committee note and approve the minutes of the Assessment Sub-Committee meetings of 12 August and 5 October 2009; that the Committee notes the Decision Notices and minutes of those meetings (attached at Appendix 1a and 1b to this report); and that the Committee agrees to the suggestion of the Assessment Sub-Committee of 5 October contained in paragraph 6 of the minutes of that meeting (Appendix 1b);
2. That the relevant Members of the Review Sub-Committee note and approve the minutes of the Review Sub-Committee of 5 October 2009; and that the Committee notes the Decision Notice and minutes of that meeting (attached at Appendix 2 to this report);
3. That the relevant Members of the Consideration Sub-Committee note and approve the minutes of the Consideration Sub-Committee meeting of 24 August 2009; and that the Committee notes the minutes and the Decision Notice of that meeting (attached at Appendix 3 to this report).;
4. That the relevant Members of the Hearing Sub-Committee note and approve the minutes of the Hearings Sub-Committee meetings of 21 July and 24 September 2009; and that the Committee notes the minutes of 21 July and 24 September 2009 and the Decision Notice of the 24 September meeting (attached at Appendix 4a and 4b to this report);
5. That the Committee agrees to amend the terms of reference of the Consideration Sub-Committee as set out in paragraph 2.18 of this report; and
6. That the Committee approves the Referral and Assessment Criteria for Complaints about Members, explained at paragraphs 2.22 – 2.26 of the report and attached at Appendix 5; and that the Committee agrees that this should be published on the Authority’s website.
   

16. Standards Committee Work Programme 2009/10
Report of the Executive Director of Secretariat

The Committee is recommended to note the report.

17. Demonstration of Weblinks

18. Date of Next Meeting

The next scheduled meeting of the Committee is to be held on Wednesday, 9 December 2009 at 3pm.

19. Any Other Business the Chair Considers Urgent

Further information

If you have questions, would like further information about the meeting or require special facilities please contact Teresa Young, Committee Administrator, Tel: 020 7983 6559; email: teresa.young@london.gov.uk, Minicom: 020 7983 4458

For media enquiries please contact: Mark Demery, Head of External Relations, Tel: 020 7983 5769;  email: mark.demery@london.gov.uk.

If you have any questions about individual reports please contact the report author whose details at the end of each report.

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