Agenda

To elect the Leader of Council in accordance with the Constitution for the remainder of the current four year term of the Council.

Up to 30 minutes is allowed for this item.

To answer any written public questions about matters which are within the powers and duties of the County Council. The closing date for receipt of questions was 10am on Monday, 2 September 2024.

However, questions that relate to reports on the agenda may be submitted up to 10am on Wednesday, 4 September 2024. Please send questions to the Chief Executive marked for the attention of Stephen Bace (email stephen.bace@gloucestershire.gov.uk)

Questions received and proposed responses do not accompany this agenda but will be circulated prior to the meeting.

TO FOLLOW

Motion 943: Swimming for all

Proposer Cllr Jeremy Hilton

Seconder Cllr Linda Cohen

This council agrees that all children in Gloucestershire should be able to swim by the time they leave school.

This council notes that swimming is part of the national curriculum and that children leaving primary school at year 6 are expected to be able to swim 25 metres.

Swimming is healthy and could help save a child’s life.

Council notes several schools in Gloucestershire have their own swimming pools, and the 6 district councils operate public swimming pools. 

This council calls on Cabinet to work with the districts, local schools, and in particular secondary schools to come forward with a program to identify children that cannot swim when they arrive at secondary school and ensure that they can do so before they graduate.

This council also calls on Cabinet to work with Swim England to support young talented swimmers who may become future Olympic competitors.  

Motion 944: Standards of conduct by councillors

Proposed: Cllr John Bloxsom

Seconded: Cllr David Drew

Council believes that the highest standards of conduct in local government are needed to protect the integrity of decision making, maintain public confidence, and safeguard local democracy.

We note that the Review of Local Government Ethical Standards by the Committee  on Standards in Public Life (CSPL, 2019) recommended that more needed to be done to achieve  this and believe that this remains the case.

We note that the Committee found that whilst the vast majority of councillors and officers want to maintain the high standards of conduct it identified some specific areas of concern including “a minority of councillors [that] engage in bullying or harassment, or other highly disruptive behaviour”.

The subsequent production of a Model Code of Conduct (2020) by the Local Government Association and a Gloucestershire Member Code of Conduct (2022) are welcome, however,  they are prevented from including the sanction of suspension that had been part of the  sanctions regime prior to the changes introduced by the Localism Act 2011.

We note that CSPL recommended that, subject to appropriate safeguards, a local authority should be able to suspend a councillor for breach of a code of conduct and that, in evidence to CSPL and the LGA, professional bodies representing local government lawyers and chief executives argued that without effective sanctions, there is no deterrent and no confidence by those affected to pursue complaints. 

Council welcomes renewed focus on standards and conduct in public life, including high  standards of conduct by councillors, and calls on:

1. The Leader of Council to write to the Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State asking her to review the then Government’s decision taken in 2022 not to bring forward legislation to provide local authorities with the power to suspend.

2. Group Leaders to take action to ensure that all members of their groups adhere to the seven ‘Nolan’ principles of standards in public life: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty, and leadership.

3. The Audit and Governance Committee  ...  view the full agenda text for item 9.

Up to 45 minutes is allowed for this item.

To answer any written public questions about matters which are within the powers and duties of the County Council.

The closing date for receipt of questions was 10am on Monday, 2 September 2024.

However, questions that relate to reports on the agenda may be submitted up to 10am on Wednesday, 4 September 2024.

Please send questions to the Chief Executive marked for the attention of Stephen Bace (email stephen.bace@gloucestershire.gov.uk)

Questions received and proposed responses do not accompany this agenda but will be circulated prior to the meeting.

As background information, the Cabinet Member Decision Statements over the period 18 June 2024 to 2 September 2024 are available on the GCC website:

, 18 June 2024 - 2 September 2024 (gloucestershire.gov.uk)

To approve the Youth Justice Plan 2024/25 as recommended by Cabinet.

The Cabinet report and Appendix are included in the Council agenda pack.