C6C9C3C5C1C8C4C2C10C7Part III Conduct of local government members and employees
Pt. III applied (22.7.2004) by The Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (Establishment of Conservation Board) Order 2004 (S.I. 2004/1777), arts. 1, 14(1)
Pt. III applied (24.3.2005) by New Forest National Park Authority (Establishment) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/421), art. 1, Sch. 4 para. 9(3)
Pt. III savings for effects of 2005 c. 10, s. 38 (1.4.2006) by The Public Services Ombudsman (Wales) Act 2005 (Transitional Provisions and Consequential Amendments) Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/362), arts. 1(1), 4
Pt. III applied (with modifications) (5.3.2008) by The Cheshire (Structural Changes) Order 2008 (S.I. 2008/634), arts. 1, 7(5)
Pt. III applied (with modifications) (28.3.2008) by The Bedfordshire (Structural Changes) Order 2008 (S.I. 2008/907), arts. 1, 16(8)
Pt. III functions made exercisable (E.) by joint standards committees (15.6.2009) by The Standards Committee (Further Provisions) (England) Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/1255), regs. 1(1), 14
Pt. III applied (24.3.2010) by The South Downs National Park Authority (Establishment) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/497), art. 1, Sch. 4 para. 9(3)
Pt. III continued (with modifications) (14.12.2011) by The Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 (Commencement No. 3 and Transitional Provisions) Order 2011 (S.I. 2011/3019), art. 5
Pt. III applied (with modifications) (22.11.2012) by The Police and Crime Panels (Application of Local Authority Enactments) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/2734), regs. 1(1), 3-6, Sch. Pt. 3
C7Chapter IV Adjudications
Adjudications
I177C7 Adjudications.
1
A person who is the subject of an adjudication conducted by a case tribunal or interim case tribunal may appear before the tribunal in person or be represented by—
a
counsel or a solicitor, or
b
any other person whom he desires to represent him.
F362
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F363
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4
The National Assembly for Wales may by regulations make such provision as appears to it to be necessary or expedient with respect to adjudications by case tribunals or interim case tribunals drawn from the Adjudication Panel for Wales.
F255
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
6
Regulations under this section may, in particular, include provision—
a
for requiring persons to attend adjudications to give evidence and produce documents and for authorising the administration of oaths to witnesses,
b
for requiring persons to furnish further particulars,
c
for prescribing the procedure to be followed in adjudications, including provision as to the persons entitled to appear and to be heard on behalf of persons giving evidence,
d
for the award of costs or expenses (including provision with respect to interest and provision with respect to the enforcement of any such award),
e
for taxing or otherwise settling any such costs or expenses (and for enabling such costs to be taxed in F39the county court),
f
for the registration and proof of decisions and awards of tribunals.
7
A person who without reasonable excuse fails to comply with any requirement imposed by virtue of subsection (6)(a) or (b) F40... is guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale.
8
In this section any reference to documents includes a reference to information held by means of a computer or in any other electronic form.
I278 Decisions of F42... interim case tribunals.
1
F10In adjudicating on any of the matters which are the subject of an interim report, F30... an interim case tribunal must reach one of the following decisions—
a
that the person to whom the recommendation mentioned in section F22... 72(3) relates should not be suspended or partially suspended from being a member or co-opted member of the relevant authority concerned,
b
that that person should be suspended or partially suspended from being a member or co-opted member of the F9relevant authority concerned for a period which does not exceed six months or (if shorter) the remainder of the person’s term of office.
F312
If the decision of F28the interim case tribunal is as mentioned in subsection (1)(a), the tribunal must give notice of its decision to the standards committee of the relevant authority concerned.
3
If the decision of F21the interim case tribunal is as mentioned in subsection (1)(b), the tribunal must give notice to the standards committee of the relevant authority concerned stating that the person concerned is suspended or partially suspended for the period, and in the way, that the tribunal has decided.
3A
The effect of a notice given under subsection (3) is to suspend or partially suspend the person concerned as mentioned in subsection (3).
F334
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5
A decision of an interim case tribunal under this section shall not prevent F38the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales from continuing with the investigation under section 69 which gave rise to the interim report concerned and producing a report under section 71, or a further interim report under section 72, in respect of any matters which are the subject of the investigation.
6
7
A copy of any notice under this section must be given—
a
to any person who is the subject of the notice, F24...
b
to the monitoring officer of the relevant authority concernedF13, and
ba
where the relevant authority concerned is a corporate joint committee, in the case of a member or co-opted member of the corporate joint committee who is also a member or co-opted member of—
i
a constituent council of the corporate joint committee;
ii
a National Park authority which is required by regulations under Part 5 of the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021 to appoint a member of the corporate joint committee,
to the monitoring officer of that constituent council or National Park authority (in addition to being given to the monitoring officer of the corporate joint committee in accordance with paragraph (b)).
F278
Where the person concerned is no longer a member or co-opted member of the relevant authority concerned, but is a member or co-opted member of another relevant authority—
a
the references in subsection (1) to the relevant authority concerned are to be treated as references to that other authority,
b
the references in subsections (2) and (7)(b) to the relevant authority concerned are to be treated as including a reference to that other relevant authority,
c
the duty under subsection (3) to give notice to the standards committee of the relevant authority concerned is to be treated as a duty—
i
to give that notice to the standards committee of that other relevant authority, and
ii
to give a copy of that notice to the standards committee of the relevant authority concerned.
8A
Subsection (8) does not apply unless—
F26a
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
b
F7... the other relevant authority is also in Wales.
9
F69A
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F69B
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F69C
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F69D
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10
F35Where a person is suspended or partially suspended under this section by a decision of an interim case tribunal, the person may appeal to the High Court—
a
against the suspension or partial suspension, or
b
against the length of the suspension or partial suspension.
F311
An appeal may not be brought under subsection (10) except with the leave of the High Court.
F1578ADecisions of F11First-tier Tribunal
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F4378B Section 78A: supplementary
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I379F16Decisions of case tribunals: Wales.
F4A1
In this section “Welsh case tribunal” means a case tribunal drawn from the Adjudication Panel for Wales.
1
A F14Welsh case tribunal which adjudicates on any matter must decide whether or not any person to which that matter relates has failed to comply with the code of conduct of the relevant authority concerned.
2
Where a F14Welsh case tribunal decides that a person has not failed to comply with the code of conduct of the relevant authority concerned, it must give notice to that effect to the standards committee of the relevant authority concerned.
3
Where a F14Welsh case tribunal decides that a person has failed to comply with the code of conduct of the relevant authority concerned, it must decide whether the nature of the failure is such that the person should be suspended or disqualified in accordance with subsection (4).
4
A person may be—
a
suspended or partially suspended from being a member or co-opted member of the relevant authority concerned, or
b
disqualified for being, or becoming (whether by election or otherwise), a member of that or any other relevant authority.
5
Where a F14Welsh case tribunal makes such a decision as is mentioned in subsection (4)(a), it must decide the period for which the person should be suspended or partially suspended (which must not exceed one year or, if shorter, the remainder of the person’s term of office).
6
Where a F14Welsh case tribunal makes such a decision as is mentioned in subsection (4)(b), it must decide the period for which the person should be disqualified (which must not exceed five years).
7
Where a F14Welsh case tribunal decides that a person has failed to comply with the code of conduct of the relevant authority concerned but should not be suspended or disqualified as mentioned in subsection (4), it must give notice to the standards committee of the relevant authority concerned—
a
stating that the person has failed to comply with that code of conduct, and
b
specifying the details of that failure.
8
Where a F14Welsh case tribunal decides that a person has failed to comply with the code of conduct of the relevant authority concerned and should be suspended or partially suspended as mentioned in subsection (4)(a), it must give notice to the standards committee of the relevant authority concerned—
a
stating that the person has failed to comply with that code of conduct,
b
specifying the details of that failure, and
c
stating that the person F32is suspended or partially suspended for the period, and in the way, which the tribunal has decided.
F239
The effect of a notice given to the standards committee of a relevant authority under subsection (8) is to suspend or partially suspend the person concerned as mentioned in subsection (8)(c).
10
Where a F14Welsh case tribunal decides that a person has failed to comply with the code of conduct of the relevant authority concerned and should be disqualified as mentioned in subsection (4)(b), it must give notice to the standards committee of the relevant authority concerned—
a
stating that the person has failed to comply with that code of conduct,
b
specifying the details of that failure, and
c
stating that the person is disqualified for being, or becoming (whether by election or otherwise), a member of that or any other relevant authority for the period which the tribunal has decided.
11
The effect of a notice given to the standards committee of a relevant authority under subsection (10) is to disqualify the person concerned as mentioned in subsection (10)(c).
12
A copy of any notice under this section—
F5a
must be given to the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales,
b
must be given to any person who is the subject of the decision to which the notice relates, and
c
must be published in one or more newspapers circulating in the area of the relevant authority concerned.
F1812A
In the case of a member or co-opted member of a corporate joint committee who is also a member or co-opted member of—
a
a constituent council of the corporate joint committee;
b
a National Park authority which is required by regulations under Part 5 of the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021 to appoint a member of the corporate joint committee,
a copy of any notice under this section must be given to the monitoring officer of that constituent council or National Park authority (in addition to the steps required by subsection (12) being taken).
13
Where the person concerned is no longer a member or co-opted member of the relevant authority concerned but is a member or co-opted member of another relevant authority F41...
a
a copy of any notice under subsection (2), (7) or (10) must also be given to the standards committee of that other relevant authority,
F47b
the reference in subsection (4)(a) to the relevant authority concerned is to be treated as a reference to that other relevant authority,
c
the duty to give notice to the standards committee of the relevant authority concerned under subsection (8) is to be treated as a duty—
i
to give that notice to the standards committee of that other relevant authority, and
ii
to give a copy of that notice to the standards committee of the relevant authority concerned,
d
the reference in subsection (12)(c) to the relevant authority concerned is to be treated as including a reference to that other relevant authority.
14
15
Where a F14Welsh case tribunal decides under this section that a person has failed to comply with the code of conduct of the relevant authority concerned, that person may appeal to the High Court against that decision, or any other decision under this section which relates to him.
F4816
An appeal may not be brought under subsection (15) except with the leave of the High Court.
I480 Recommendations by F20... case tribunals.
1
F17Where F2... a case tribunal has adjudicated on any matter under this Act, it may make recommendations to a relevant authority about any matters relating to—
a
the exercise of the authority’s functions,
b
the authority’s code of conduct, or
c
the authority’s standards committee.
2
F37A case tribunal must send a copy of any recommendations it makes under subsection (1) to the relevant person.
3
A relevant authority to whom recommendations are made under subsection (1) must consider the recommendations and, within a period of three months beginning with the day on which the recommendations are received, prepare a report for the F8Public Services Ombudsman for Wales giving details of what action the authority have taken or are proposing to take as a result of the recommendations.
4
A relevant authority’s function of considering a report under subsection (3) may be discharged only by the authority or by the standards committee of that authority (and accordingly, in the case of a relevant authority to which section 101 of the M1Local Government Act 1972 F44or regulation 13 of the Corporate Joint Committees (General) (No. 2) (Wales) Regulations 2021 (arrangements for discharge of functions) applies, is not to be a function to which F12that section or regulation applies).
5
If the F19Public Services Ombudsman for Wales is not satisfied with the action the relevant authority have taken or propose to take in relation to the recommendations, the F19Public Services Ombudsman for Wales may require the authority to publish a statement giving details of the recommendations made by the tribunal and of the authority’s reasons for not fully implementing the recommendations.
F16
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Pt. III applied (22.7.2004) by The Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (Establishment of Conservation Board) Order 2004 (S.I. 2004/1778), arts. 1, 14(1)