Issue - meetings

The Cabinet Member for Governance attended for this item.

The Assistant Director – Policy and Communications presented a report summarising the Government’s proposed revisions to the criteria for disqualifying individuals from standing for, or holding office as, a local authority member, directly-elected mayor or member of the London Assembly.

The Committee was informed that the consultation had not proposed to change the disqualification criteria for Police and Crime Commissioners, and that the proposals would not apply retrospectively after the changes are in force.

It was reported that there is a proposal to bar any person subject to sex offender notification requirements from standing for election or holding office, for a period of time until they are no longer subject to notification requirements.

The Committee was advised of the proposal to bar any person subject to an anti-social behaviour sanction issued by a Court from standing for election or holding office.  It was noted that the proposal did not extend to closure orders or dispersal orders.

The Assistant Director – Policy and Communications outlined the proposed responses of the Council to the Government’s formal consultation, as set out in Section 7 of the officer’s report.

The Committee considered that the following issues should also be referred to in the response:

·        That further clarification should be given over the type of injunction that would lead to barring.  Some injunction, for example those arising from a neighbour dispute, might not be significant enough to warrant barring.

·        That clarification is needed on how a local authority is to be informed of any relevant sanction, and whether the responsibility for determining this would be with the prospective member, their political group, or the local authority.

·        That further guidance is needed as to the effect of, and consequences of, barring during the term of a Councillor’s office.

* RESOLVED –

That the proposed consultation responses, as amended by the Committee, be submitted to the Department for Communities and Local Government after further consideration by the Cabinet Member for Governance.