To propose the establishment of a Standards Committee and Register of Members interests for the Joint Committee

1.1 The codes of conduct for Members of Sea Fisheries Joint Committees are unclear. The requirements of Members regarding issues such as declarations of pecuniary and non-pecuniary interests and ministerial dispensations for members to speak and vote on agenda items in which they have an interest await clarification. Both Defra and NAW have been requested to provide definitive guidance for Joint Committees but have declined to do so.

1.2 In order to provide clarity and protection for Members from criticism, the NWNWSFC Joint Committee agreed in May 2006 to endorse and follow guidance dating from April 1997.

1.3 However this guidance is not up to date with the latest legislation and standards applied by Local Authorities. A Standards Committee and Register of Members’ Interests are required in order to ensure that the Joint Committee has the structures and procedures in place to deal with complaints or issues arising, to do with standards of conduct by Members or Officers of the Committee.

2.1 In the absence of Government guidance on these matters, The CEO has approached the Member Services Department of Lancashire County Council for advice and accessed their model through the Council website. Terms of Reference for the LCC Standards Committee and the form used for compiling the list of Members’ interests were available without restriction.

2.2 The Terms of Reference have been adapted for possible use by the Joint Committee to set up a Standards Committee appropriate to its needs. The resulting draft Terms of Reference are at Annex A for consideration and approval. They suggest that a Sub-Committee of the Chairman’s Working Party, comprising the Chairman, Vice Chairs and CEO should be appointed to oversee standards according to the Terms of Reference set out.

2.3 The Register of Interests form at Annex A is a similarly cut down version of the form used by LCC. As such it complies with current legislation. LCC include a photograph of Members on the form and all the forms are published on the LCC website. Members of the NWNWSFC are invited to consider if they wish to follow this approach in full.