Agenda item

Fenland District Council is entitled to co-opt up to two representatives from Town and Parish Councils within the District to support its programme of work. The Committee currently has two vacancies therefore applications for this position have been sought from Town and Parish Councils.

Councillor Boden presented the report on behalf of the Chairman of the Conduct Committee and advised that the Town and Parish Council representatives have been in the Constitution for a long period of time, being able to co-opt up to 2 representatives. He stated that a communication was sent out to all Parish and Town Councils asking for any volunteers and only two expressions of interest were received and it was deemed by the Chairman of the Conduct Committee that both were more than suitable and it was agreed by the Conduct Committee to recommend to Full Council that the two individuals be appointed.

Councillor Boden stated that the two individuals are Councillor Martin Field from March Town Council and Councillor Jason Ablewhite from Benwick Parish Council.

Members made comments as follows:

·       Councillor Booth asked if the vote has to be for both candidates en bloc or can they be voted for individually as looking at one of the candidates and his history he has some reservations about appointing them to the Conduct Committee given the reasons why they resigned from a prominent political role. The Chairman responded that in light of his comments they would vote individually for the two candidates.

·       Councillor Tierney stated that he did wonder if someone would raise this issue but his personal view is that sometimes people make errors of judgements or mistakes in the past and then can move on with their lives, there is a member sitting on the Conduct Committee right now who is subject to a decision against them by the committee for a fairly serious issue but he believes members understand people make mistakes and it does not bar their entire life. He stated that as far as he knows none of the individuals standing has a criminal record or a conduct complaint against them so he does not know the truth of the allegations but if someone has a lot of experience and are a current sitting councillor there should be no reason why they cannot be appointed.

·       Councillor Booth made the point that he does not really know the individual and only what he has seen in the press and he believes there was a complaint put to the Conduct Committee at the Council they were politically elected to but what he does not see in the report is that those issues have been resolved, only what is in the public domain and how is it that they have moved on and at present he has concerns.

·       Councillor Connor endorsed both Councillor Field and Councillor Ablewhite to be co-opted onto the Conduct Committee.

·       Councillor Boden stated that what was noticeable was the expressions of interests of the candidates and this particular candidate that he believes Councillor Booth is referring to, given his experience within the old standards regime, is undoubtedly the best qualified candidate from either Councillors or Town or Parish Councillors on the Conduct Committee if he is selected today and he is confident that he will prove to be an exceptional member.

Proposed by Councillor Boden, seconded by Councillor Connor and agreed to the co-option of Councillor Jason Ablewhite and Councillor Martin Field to the two vacant Town and Parish Council Representative vacancies on the Conduct Committee for a term of 4 years.