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Terms of Reference
The Committee will have the
following terms of reference relating audit functions, governance
functions and human resources functions.
Audit functions
a)
Act as the Council’s Audit Committee for
internal and external audit.
b)
Agree and oversee the Council's Internal Audit Plan
and monitor progress against this Plan.
c)
Receive and consider the work of the external
auditor.
d)
Ensure that there are effective relationships
between external and internal audit, inspection agencies and other
relevant bodies, and that the value of the audit process is
actively promoted.
e)
Overview the Council’s risk management
arrangements and provide independent assurance of the adequacy of
the risk management framework.
f)
Seek assurance that action is being taken on
risk-related issues identified by auditors and
inspectors.
g)
Approve the Governance and Assurance Statements,
Statement of Accounts and anti-fraud and anti-corruption
arrangements.
h)
To notify, report or recommend to Cabinet and
Council as appropriate.
i)
Have continued due regard for CIPFA (Chartered
Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy) guidance.
j)
To review, monitor and consider reports from the
Chief Finance Officer on Treasury management, functions and
activities.
Governance functions
a)
Promoting and maintaining high standards of conduct
by Councillors and any co-opted members.
b)
Assisting the Councillors and co-opted members to
observe the Members' Code of Conduct.
c)
To operate the overall scheme in respect of the
local determination of Code of Conduct complaints against Council
and Parish/Town Members, via Sub-Committees where appropriate (this
role is largely delegated by the Constitution to a Standards
Sub-Committee and the Monitoring Officer as set out in greater
detail in the Constitution).
d)
Approving, and keeping under review, codes of
conduct and protocols for Councillors and staff.
e)
Monitoring the local operation of codes and
protocols.
f)
Promoting training of Councillors and co-opted
members in the context of codes and protocols.
g)
Granting dispensations, where referred by the
Monitoring Officer and in accordance with the Localism Act 2011 or
other legislation.
h)
To monitor the use of dispensations.
i)
Dealing with any reports from the Monitoring Officer
on any matter relating to standards issues or standards
complaints.
j)
To appoint Sub-Committees consisting of members
drawn from its own membership, excluding group leaders, to
determine complaints under the Code of Conduct and referred by the
Monitoring Officer. Meetings of these Sub-Committees are to follow
the procedure as set out in the Council’s agreed procedure
for dealing with Code of Conduct complaints.
k)
To overview the Council's whistle blowing
policy.
Human Resource
Functions
The Human Resources
Sub-Committee will be responsible for the Council’s Human
Resources function where not delegated under the Scheme of
Delegation. This includes:
a)
All matters, where not delegated, in relation to the
Council’s role as an employer including the recruitment of
the Head of Paid Service and Strategic Directors
b)
All disciplinary matters relating to specified
officers that are required to have Member or Committee involvement.
This is elaborated in the Officer Employment Procedure Rules later
in this Constitution.
Standards
Sub-Committee Terms of Reference
a)
To consider investigation reports, in respect of
Code of Conduct complaints, that are referred to it by the
Monitoring Officer.
b)
To conduct a hearing into an allegation that a
Member or co-opted Member of the Council or Town/Parish Council has
breached the relevant code of conduct. At such hearing, the Member
against whom a complaint has been made may respond to the
investigation report.
c)
Following the hearing the Sub-Committee can make one
of the following findings:
i)
That the Member has not failed to comply with the
Code of Conduct and no further action needs to be taken in respect
of the matters considered at the hearing
ii)
That the Member has failed to comply with the
Code of Conduct but no further action needs to be taken in respect
of the matters considered at the hearing; or
iii)
That the Member has failed to comply with the Code
of Conduct and a sanction and/or an informal resolution should be
imposed.
d) The
Sub-Committee may impose any action or combination of actions
available to it, or impose any informal resolution or combination
of informal resolutions as are available to it either by law or
policy.
e) After
making a finding the Sub-Committee shall, as soon as reasonably
practicable, provide written notice of its findings and the reason
for its decision to the Member and the complainant.
f) To
apply the Council’s Standards Complaints Procedure and
Complaints Standards Sub-Committee Procedure to hearings before the
Sub-Committee
Meeting Quorum = 3