To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 17^th April 2007.

The minutes of the meeting held on 17^th April 2007 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To receive apologies for absence.

An apology for absence was received from Mr. M. Eveling.

Members are asked at this stage to declare any interests that they may have in any of the following items on the agenda.  The Members’ Code of Conduct requires that declarations include the nature of the interest and whether it is a personal or prejudicial interest.

The Chairman declared a personal interest in agenda item 7 by virtue of the fact that he is a member of the same Parish Council as one of the candidates for the Parish Member seat, Mr. B. Rayner.

To note the nominations for the appointment of the Parish Member and Substitute Parish Members of the Standards Committee following the interviews of candidates prior to this meeting.

The nominations will go forward for the Council’s approval at its meeting on 26^th June 2007.  These appointments are for a term of four years.

Interviews of candidates to fill the Parish Member and Substitute Parish Member places on the Committee took place prior to the meeting and nominations for these seats were made as follows:

Parish Member – Mrs Margaret Oechsle (Yaxham Parish Councillor)

Substitute Parish Members:

         (1) Mr Brian Rayner (Narborough Parish Councillor)

         (2) Mr Malcolm Whittley (Oxborough Parish Councillor)

These nominations would go forward for confirmation at the Council meeting on 26 June 2007.

At the Committee’s meeting on 17^th April 2007, it was agreed that three places be booked for the above event in line with the Committee’s previously agreed policy of attendance by two members in rotation, plus an officer.

Committee is accordingly now asked to nominate its two members to attend the event.  The officer place will be taken by the Monitoring Officer.

RESOLVED that the following Members be nominated to attend the Sixth Annual Assembly of Standards Committees on 15^th & 16^th October 2007, to be held at the ICC Birmingham:

§         Mr D. Williams (Chairman)

§         Mrs M. Oechsle (substitute Mr R. Childerhouse)

The Standards Board for England’s Roadshow is taking place on 27^th June 2007 at the Assembly House in Norwich.  Four places have been booked – one for the Monitoring Officer and one for the Standards Officer, plus two places for members of the Standards Committee.

Committee is accordingly asked to nominate its two members to attend this event.

RESOLVED that

(1)    the Members to attend the Standards Board for England’s Roadshow 2007 on 27 June 2007 at the Assembly House, Norwich, be as follows:

§               Mr D. Williams (Chairman) (subject to confirmation of availability)

§               Mrs M. Oechsle

(2)   in the event that the Chairman is unable to attend, a replacement be sought from the Substitute Members of the Committee.

To note the attached summary report from the Standards Board for England.

The report and the recommendation of the Standards Board for England in this matter was noted.

The next meeting of the Committee is scheduled for 10^th July 2007 but members will recall that at the last meeting, it was agreed that this date should be rearranged to avoid a clash with a training seminar for officers on the Code of Conduct and Local Investigations.  The Committee is accordingly asked to agree a revised date for the meeting.

RESOLVED that the date of the next meeting be re-arranged for Thursday, 12^th July 2007 at 2.15 p.m.