APPENDIX 1

WORK PROGRAMME FOR STANDARDS AND GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE – 2026/27

 

* standing items for each scheduled ordinary meeting of the Committee

 

MEETING

AGENDA ITEM

REPORT REQUIRED

PROGRESS

11 February 2026

Draft Recommendations Following the First Phase of the 2025/26 Community Governance Review

Report by Monitoring Officer to present draft recommendations to the Committee for the second phase consultation on the 2025/26 Community Governance Reviews (CGR’s), following the Stage 1 consultation.

Report presented to meeting.

 

Government Response to Standards Regime Consultation

Report by Monitoring Officer to update Members on the consultation results and Government’s response regarding the “Strengthening the standards and conduct framework for local authorities in England” consultation.

Report presented to meeting.

 

Investigations Update

Report by Monitoring Officer to update the Committee regarding completed investigations since the last meeting.

Report presented to meeting.

 

Dispensation requests

Urgent report by Monitoring Officer presenting various dispensation requests from Members.

Report presented to meeting.

13 March 2026

 

 

* Local Ethical Framework Developments

Standing report by Monitoring Officer regarding latest developments in national ethical framework.

Report to be presented to meeting.

 

* Complaints Update

Standing report by Monitoring Officer in relation to complaints received of a potential breach of the relevant Members’ Code of Conduct by Members and voting co-opted Members of North Yorkshire Council and town and parish councils in North Yorkshire.

Report to be presented to meeting.

 

* Standards Bulletin

Standing report by Monitoring Officer presenting draft Standards Bulletin for approval for circulation.

Report to be presented to meeting.

 

* Work Programme for 2026/27

Report by Monitoring Officer setting out suggested draft programme of work for 2026/2027 for Members’ consideration.

Report to be presented to meeting.

 

* Standards Training Plan 2026/27

Standing report by Monitoring Officer in relation to standards training required for Members.

Report to be presented to meeting.

 

* If required:

Temporary Appointments to Parish Councils by the Assistant Chief Executive Legal and Democratic Services and Monitoring Officer.

An update report from the Assistant Chief Executive Legal and Democratic Services and Monitoring Officer regarding any temporary appointments to parish/town councils made under delegated powers.

Report to be presented to meeting if required.

 

Annual Report of the Standards and Governance Committee 2025/26

Report by Monitoring Officer presenting a draft Annual Report for 2025/26 for Members’ consideration and approval.

To be presented to meeting of full Council on 20 May 2026.

Report to be presented to meeting.

 

Council’s approach to sensitive interests under the Localism Act 2011

Report by Monitoring Officer to review the Council’s approach to sensitive interests under the Localism Act 2011.

Report to be presented to meeting.

 

Dispensation Requests regarding Community Governance Review

Report by Monitoring Officer regarding dispensation requests from dual-hatted councillors.

Report to be presented to meeting.

 

Dispensation Request from Councillor Dadd

Report by Monitoring Officer regarding dispensation request from Councillor Dadd.

Report to be presented to meeting.

 

 

 

 

19 June 2026

* Local Ethical Framework Developments

Standing report by Monitoring Officer regarding latest developments in national ethical framework.

Report to be presented to meeting.

 

* Complaints Update

Standing report by Monitoring Officer in relation to complaints received of a potential breach of the relevant Members’ Code of Conduct by Members and voting co-opted Members of North Yorkshire Council and town and parish councils in North Yorkshire.

Report to be presented to meeting.

 

* Standards Bulletin

Standing report by Monitoring Officer presenting draft Standards Bulletin for approval for circulation.

Report to be presented to meeting.

 

* Work Programme

Standing report by Monitoring Officer regarding the programme of work for 2026/27 for Members’ review.

Report to be presented to meeting.

 

* Standards Training Plan

Standing report by Monitoring Officer in relation to standards training required for Members.

Report to be presented to meeting.

 

* If required:

Temporary Appointments to Parish Councils by the Assistant Chief Executive Legal and Democratic Services and Monitoring Officer.

An update report from the Assistant Chief Executive Legal and Democratic Services and Monitoring Officer regarding any temporary appointments to parish/town councils made under delegated powers.

Report to be presented to meeting if required.

 

Members’ Attendance at Committees

 

Periodic report from Head of Democratic Services and Scrutiny.

The report should record the number of attendance of Councillors at meetings of the Council and its Committees for the period 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026.

Report to be presented to meeting.

 

Protocol re Councillors’ Use of Resources

Report by Monitoring Officer presenting a draft Protocol re Councillors’ Use of Resources, to assist Members.

Report to be presented to meeting.

 

 

 

 

16 September 2026

* Local Ethical Framework Developments

Standing report by Monitoring Officer regarding latest developments in national ethical framework.

Report to be presented to meeting.

 

* Complaints Update

Standing report by Monitoring Officer in relation to complaints received of a potential breach of the relevant Members’ Code of Conduct by Members and voting co-opted Members of North Yorkshire Council and town and parish councils in North Yorkshire.

Report to be presented to meeting.

 

* Standards Bulletin

Standing report by Monitoring Officer presenting draft Standards Bulletin for approval for circulation.

Report to be presented to meeting.

 

* Work Programme

Standing report by Monitoring Officer regarding the programme of work for 2026/27 for Members’ review.

Report to be presented to meeting.

 

* Standards Training Plan

Standing report by Monitoring Officer in relation to standards training required for Members.

Report to be presented to meeting.

 

* If required:

Temporary Appointments to Parish Councils by the Assistant Chief Executive Legal and Democratic Services and Monitoring Officer.

An update report from the Assistant Chief Executive Legal and Democratic Services and Monitoring Officer regarding any temporary appointments to parish/town councils made under delegated powers.

Report to be presented to meeting if required.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Matters to note

 

 

Ø  At its meeting on 19 July 2023, full Council agreed to extend, for four years, the terms of office of the predecessor authority NYCC’s two Independent Persons for Standards, Hilary Gilbertson MBE (resigned with effect from 27 August 2025), and Louise Holroyd (whose terms of office automatically continued post Vesting Day); and further approved the appointments, for four years, of Gillian Baker, Roy Martin (resigned with effect from 31 December 2024), James Nelson and Richinda Taylor as additional Independent Persons for Standards for North Yorkshire Council.

Ø  Full Council also delegated power to the Monitoring Officer to extend the Independent Persons’ terms of office, in consultation with the Chair of the Standards and Governance Committee.

 

·       Protocol re Requests for Community Governance Reviews

Ø  15.9.23 – the Committee agreed the Protocol covering the period up to the scheduled May 2027 elections, setting out how the Council will respond to such requests. The Committee also granted authority to the Assistant Chief Executive Legal and Democratic Services, in consultation with the Executive Member for Corporate Services, to determine if requests for Community Governance Reviews should be treated as urgent and brought forward to the Standards and Governance Committee to recommend approval of terms of reference to the Council.

 

·       Community Governance Review

Ø  20.6.25 – Committee delegated the following powers to ACELDS:

v  That if the LGBCE final recommendations have an impact on the terms of reference the Assistant Chief Executive Legal and Democratic Services be delegated authority to amend the terms of reference accordingly;

v  That if further requests for a CGR from other parish areas come forward authority be delegated to the Assistant Chief Executive Legal and Democratic Services to consider whether the request should be incorporated in this CGR and the terms of reference amended accordingly.

 

·       Schedule of Election Fees for Elections and By-elections in North Yorkshire

Ø  13.12.23 - The Committee agreed that the fee Schedule be amended in line with amendments made to the national indicative fee schedule in future years.