Part III Conduct of local government members and employees
Chapter II Investigations etc: England
References to monitoring officers
66 Matters referred to monitoring officers.
F1(1)
The Secretary of State may by regulations make provision in relation to the way in which any matters referred to the monitoring officer of a relevant authority under section F257A, 60(2) or (3) or 64(2) or (4)
are to be dealt with.
(2)
The provision which may be made by regulations under subsection (1) includes provision for or in connection with—
(a)
enabling a monitoring officer of a relevant authority to conduct an investigation in respect of any matters referred to him,
(b)
enabling a monitoring officer of a relevant authority to make a report, or recommendations, to the standards committee of the authority in respect of any matters referred to him,
(c)
enabling a standards committee of a relevant authority to consider any report or recommendations made to it by a monitoring officer of the authority (including provision with respect to the procedure to be followed by the standards committee),
(d)
enabling a standards committee of a relevant authority, following its consideration of any such report or recommendations, to take any action prescribed by the regulations (including action against any member or co-opted member (or former member or co-opted member) of the authority who is the subject of any such report or recommendation),
(e)
the publicity to be given to any such reports, recommendations or action.
F3(f)
enabling a monitoring officer of a relevant authority, in such circumstances as may be prescribed by the regulations, to refer back any matters that were referred to him under section 57A.
(3)
The provision which may be made by virtue of subsection (2)(a) includes provision for or in connection with—
(a)
conferring powers on a monitoring officer of a relevant authority to enable him to conduct an investigation in respect of any matters referred to him,
(b)
conferring rights (including the right to make representations) on any member or co-opted member (or former member or co-opted member) of a relevant authority who is the subject of any such investigation.
F4(3A)
Provision made by virtue of subsection (2)(a) and (3) may make provision corresponding to or applying, with or without modifications, any provisions of sections 62 and 63 (including sections 62(10) and 63(4)) or section 67(1), (1A) and (3) to (5).
(3B)
The provision which may be made by virtue of subsection (2)(b) includes provision for or in connection with—
(a)
interim reports;
(b)
the disclosure of reports.
(4)
The provision which may be made by virtue of subsection (2)(d) includes provision for or in connection with—
(a)
enabling a standards committee of a relevant authority to censure a member or co-opted member (or former member or co-opted member) of the authority,
(b)
enabling a standards committee of a relevant authority to suspend or partially suspend a person from being a member or co-opted member of the authority for a limited period,
(c)
conferring a right of appeal on a member or co-opted member (or former member or co-opted member) of a relevant authority in respect of any action taken against him.
F5(4A)
The provision which may be made by virtue of subsection (2)(f) includes provision applying any provisions of section 57A or 57C, with or without modifications, where matters have been referred back by the monitoring officer.
(5)
Nothing in F6subsections (2) to (4A) or section 66A affects the generality of the power under subsection (1).
(6)
F7A person who refers any matters to the monitoring officer of a relevant authority under section 57A, 60(2) or (3) or 64(2) or (4), may give directions to the monitoring officer as to the way in which those matters are to be dealt with.