The Committee is asked to note any apologies for absence and substitutions received from Members.

An apology for absence was submitted on behalf of Sue Gallone (one of the Council’s Independent Persons).

To confirm and sign as a correct record, the minutes of the meeting of the Standards Committee, held on Wednesday, 22 April 2026.

It was moved by Councillor Alexander, seconded by Councillor J Henderson and:-

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the last meeting of the Committee held on Wednesday, 22 April 2026 be approved as a correct record and be signed by the Chairman.

Councillors are invited to declare any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests, Other Registerable Interests of Non-Registerable Interests, and the nature of it, in relation to any item on the agenda.

There were no Declarations of Interest made on this occasion.

Subject to providing two working days’ notice, a Member of the Committee may ask the Chairman of the Committee a question on any matter in relation to which the Council has powers or duties which affect the Tendring District and which falls within the terms of reference of the Committee.

No Questions on Notice had been submitted by Members pursuant to Council Procedure Rule 38 on this occasion.

This report is submitted to the Committee to enable it to consider the Licensing and Registration Probity Protocol following consultation with the members of the Licensing and Registration Committee, the Portfolio Holder for Assets and Community, Officers responsible for licensing services in the Governance and the Environment & Housing Directorates and the Independent Persons. This report also sets out the outcome of the consultation and a revised Licensing and Registration Committee for approval and recommendation to Full Council for its adoption.

The Committee considered the report (A.1) that presented the updated revised version of the Licensing and Registration Probity Protocol, following consultation with the members of the Licensing and Registration Committee, the Portfolio Holder for Assets and Community, Officers responsible for licensing services in the Governance and the Environment & Housing Directorates and the Independent Persons.

It was reported that some themes that had emerged from the consultation were:-

-       expand more on ‘prejudicial’ interest;

-       add to Member training section about training to be allowed to sit on the Committee should be from the Council but could be topped up through other means such as LGA;

-       make ‘to stay open-minded’ stronger; and

-       to add that Members are not allowed to discuss blue pages documents outside of the Committee membership.

Members were made aware that the outcome of the consultation was set out in detail in Appendix B of the Officer report (A.1).

The Committee noted their opinion that the relevant Ward Councillors should be informed of any changes to a premises licence or the removal of a premises licence. Officers took this under advisement.

It was moved by Councillor Baker, seconded by Councillor Casey and unanimously:-

RESOLVED that the Standards Committee:-

(a)  notes the outcome of the consultation with members of the Licensing and Registration Committee, the Portfolio Holder for Assets and Community, Officers responsible for licensing services in the Governance and the Environment & Housing Directorates and the Independents Persons;

(b)  endorses the revised Licensing and Registration Probity Protocol (with the tracked changes being accepted) and recommends to Full Council that it be adopted and incorporated into the Council’s Constitution; and

(c)   authorises the Council’s Monitoring Officer to make the administrative amendments, as highlighted at the Committee meeting, prior to the Protocol’s consideration at Full Council.

To present the Committee with the outcome of the review of the Social Media Guidance for Members, presented to the Committee at its 22 April 2026 meeting, and subsequent Members’ training session and feedback; for subsequent approval and adoption of the final version.

Members were told that the current Social Media Guidance for Members (“the Guidance”) had been last considered by the Standards Committee at its meeting held on 2 February 2022. A revised draft Social Media Guidance for Members, with a review conducted by Officers, and based on current uses of social media, had been presented to the Committee at its meeting held on 22 April 2026.

Members were also made aware that the Council recognised the benefits of communication between Members and residents that social media platforms afforded and which were utilised by the majority of Members with varying frequency. Social media could reach a demographic of society that might not always be reached by more traditional methods, and this along with the speed with which communication could take place, provided both potential benefits and pitfalls, over and above ‘traditional’ means of correspondence.

The Committee was informed that the review of the Guidance had considered the Local Government Association’s Model Social Media Guidance and the published Social Media Guidance for Councillors.

Members were updated that, since the publication of the Officer report (A.2), the LGA had updated their guidance, but that this Council guidance’s was still in line with their updated version.

Officers told Members that a dedicated online Member Development Session had been conducted on 24 June 2026 by an external trainer, incorporating the draft Guidance and which had covered the following topics:-

• The landscape of social media in 2026;
• Why be on social media? Building trust and engaging with residents;
• Having a plan;
• Which platforms are best? Exploring the main options;
• Top tips for best engagement, including lessons from deep dive social media review of Councils around the country;
• Good practice for elected Member accounts;
• Misinformation, disinformation and deep fake;
• Good governance, staying safe online and dealing with negative/hostile remarks; and
• Resources to assist going forward.

The training had also covered that inappropriate use of social media could amount to a breach of the Members’ Code of Conduct and that it was the individual responsibility of each Member to consider the Guidance and Members' Code of Conduct when using social media and indeed all forms of communication.

Members were also told that 13 Members had attended the training session, at the conclusion of which a feedback form had been circulated to all, that requested any further comment/inclusion to be incorporated within the final version of the Guidance. At the time of writing, one feedback form had been received and which had not contained anything further to be included within the Guidance.

It was moved by Councillor Baker, seconded by Councillor Talbot and unanimously:-

RESOLVED that the Committee:-

(a)  notes the contents of the report and the associated feedback comments arising from the dedicated Members’ Development Session on social media;

(b)  approves and formally adopts the final version of the Social Media Guidance for Members, as set out in Appendix A of the Officer report (A.2) and that it be circulated to all Members of the Council;

(c)   advocates that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

The Committee will receive the Monitoring Officer’s update regarding standards complaints and an update on national policy changes, as necessary.

The Committee had before it the Monitoring Officer’s update on existing and new conduct complaint cases.

Officers gave a presentation to Members on the following national matters:

-       Saffron Walden Town Council;

-       Westmorland and Furness Council;

-       Standards Framework reform – update;

-       Implementation?;

-       Thameside Council – ‘Trigger Me Timbers’ WhatsApp Group;

-       Findings – all four Cllrs acting in official capacity;

-       The Panel found in additional that;

-       Sanctions;

-       Topical – Use of local authority resources;

-       Cllr who “made up his mind” ahead of planning vote breached code;

-       “Complex area of law & the concept of predetermination is not straightforward”.

The Committee NOTED the foregoing.