Portsmouth City Borough Council
Councillors:
42
Wards:
14
Committees:
37
Meetings (2026):
11
Meetings (2025):
117
Meeting
Governance & Audit & Standards Committee - Portsmouth City
Meeting Times
Scheduled Time
Start:
Wednesday, 21st January 2026
5:00 PM
Wednesday, 21st January 2026
5:00 PM
End:
Wednesday, 21st January 2026
9:00 PM
Wednesday, 21st January 2026
9:00 PM
Meeting Status
Status:
Confirmed
Confirmed
Date:
21 Jan 2026
21 Jan 2026
Location:
The Executive Meeting Room - Third Floor, The Guildhall, Portsmouth
The Executive Meeting Room - Third Floor, The Guildhall, Portsmouth
Meeting Attendees
Committee Member
Deputy Group Leader
Standing Deputy
Group Leader
Standing Deputy
Deputy Group Leader
Agenda
1
Apologies for Absence
Minutes
Apologies for absence had been received from Councillor Judith Smyth. Councillor Graham Heaney was in attendance as standing deputy.
2
Declarations of Members' Interests
Minutes
Councillor Stuart Brown declared a personal interest in minute 4, the nature of his interest being that he was Chair of the Employment Committee.
3
Minutes of the meeting held on 24 November 2025
RECOMMENDED that the minutes of the meeting held on 24 November 2025 be approved and signed by the Chair as a correct record.
Attachments:
- Document Draft GAS Mins 24.11.25 13 Jan 2026
Minutes
RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 24 November 2025 be approved and signed by the Chair as a correct record, with the addition of Richard Lock's surname within the list of attendees.
4
Update to Officer Employment Procedure Rules (Part 3D of the Council's Constitution)
Purpose
The purpose of this report is for the committee to consider recommending updated Officer Employment Procedure Rules to Full Council for adoption.
Recommendations
That the Governance & Audit & Standards Committee recommends that Full Council:
(i) adopts the updated Officer Employment Procedure Rules at Appendix A to this report, to replace the existing Officer Employment Procedure Rules at Part 3D of the council's constitution; and
(ii) authorises the City Solicitor to make the above changes, along with any other necessary minor consequential changes, to the council's constitution resulting from the adoption of the updated Officer Employment Procedure Rules.
The purpose of this report is for the committee to consider recommending updated Officer Employment Procedure Rules to Full Council for adoption.
Recommendations
That the Governance & Audit & Standards Committee recommends that Full Council:
(i) adopts the updated Officer Employment Procedure Rules at Appendix A to this report, to replace the existing Officer Employment Procedure Rules at Part 3D of the council's constitution; and
(ii) authorises the City Solicitor to make the above changes, along with any other necessary minor consequential changes, to the council's constitution resulting from the adoption of the updated Officer Employment Procedure Rules.
Attachments:
- Document GAS Report - Updated Officer Employment Procedure Rules 13 Jan 2026
- Document Appendix A - Updated Part-3D-Officers-Employment-Procedure-Rules 13 Jan 2026
Minutes
Peter Baulf, Monitoring Officer, introduced the report, which sought a recommendation from the committee to Full Council to update the council's Officer Employment Procedure Rules. The proposed changes had been drafted to align the constitution with the Joint Negotiating Committee's (JNC) current processes for Chief Executives and Chief Officers terms and conditions of employment.
In response to a question as to why a member of the Cabinet would be given the opportunity to object to the proposed appointment of a Chief Officer, the Monitoring Officer believed that this was to facilitate as much involvement of members as possible in the decision-making process for these key posts.
RESOLVED that the Governance & Audit & Standards Committee recommends that Full Council:
(i) adopts the updated Officer Employment Procedure Rules at Appendix A to this report, to replace the existing Officer Employment Procedure Rules at Part 3D of the council's constitution; and
(ii) authorises the City Solicitor to make the above changes, along with any other necessary minor consequential changes, to the council's constitution resulting from the adoption of the updated Officer Employment Procedure Rules.
In response to a question as to why a member of the Cabinet would be given the opportunity to object to the proposed appointment of a Chief Officer, the Monitoring Officer believed that this was to facilitate as much involvement of members as possible in the decision-making process for these key posts.
RESOLVED that the Governance & Audit & Standards Committee recommends that Full Council:
(i) adopts the updated Officer Employment Procedure Rules at Appendix A to this report, to replace the existing Officer Employment Procedure Rules at Part 3D of the council's constitution; and
(ii) authorises the City Solicitor to make the above changes, along with any other necessary minor consequential changes, to the council's constitution resulting from the adoption of the updated Officer Employment Procedure Rules.
5
Report to Governance & Audit & Standards Committee on complaints received into alleged breaches of the Code of Conduct by Members of the Council for the calendar year 2025
Purpose
The purpose of the report is to update Members of the Committee in relation to complaints which have been progressed within the calendar year 2025 and which allege that Councillors may have breached the Code of Conduct.
Recommendations
(i) It is recommended that Members of the committee note the report;
(ii) It is recommended that Members of the committee consider whether any further action is required by them; and
(iii) It is recommended that Members of the committee place on record their thanks to the Independent Persons.
The purpose of the report is to update Members of the Committee in relation to complaints which have been progressed within the calendar year 2025 and which allege that Councillors may have breached the Code of Conduct.
Recommendations
(i) It is recommended that Members of the committee note the report;
(ii) It is recommended that Members of the committee consider whether any further action is required by them; and
(iii) It is recommended that Members of the committee place on record their thanks to the Independent Persons.
Attachments:
- Document Report for Member Conduct Complaints for the year 2025 13 Jan 2026
Minutes
Peter Baulf, Monitoring Officer, introduced the report which updated the committee in relation to complaints which had been progressed within the calendar year 2025 and which alleged that councillors may have breached the Code of Conduct.
He referenced the increase in the number of complaints, although explained that the figure was skewed to a degree in that there had been several occasions where multiple complaints had been received on a similar matter.
In keeping with previous years, he advised that complaints relating to social media continued to feature prominently, a trend that was consistent with the experience of other local authorities and not unique to Portsmouth.
He detailed paragraphs 3.13 and 3.14 of the report, which sought the committee's views on whether he, as Monitoring Officer, should seek counsel's opinion on:
1. whether there had been a change in the current common law position that being a member could theoretically suggest that there was a distinction between acting as a member and acting within in one's own personal capacity; and
2. given the current usage of social media, the range of comments, and the foreseeable potential consequences, whether the range of behaviours displayed within would:
a) give rise to an actionable tort or prosecution of a criminal nature,
b) if it would be reasonable for PCC to avoid indemnity and
c) what stance should PCC take.
He also explained that the Local Government Association (LGA) had created a draft Councillor Model Code of Conduct and put it to the committee that it may consider requesting that a future report be tabled to consider its adoption.
Whilst the LGA Model Code of Conduct would not afford the council any additional powers of sanction, there were a few key process differences in that there would be no right of appeal or defined timeframes for dealing with complaints, particularly at the initial filtering stage, and without requiring the subject member's response prior to consideration.
In addition, he advised the committee that the Government's public consultation on 'Strengthening the standards and conduct framework for local authorities in England' had concluded in November 2025, with the Government's response published on 11 November 2025.
Legislation would need to be drafted and passed, but the Government's response indicated that additional powers could be available to local authorities, including the suspension of councillors for up to six months for serious breaches. In the instance of more than one suspension for serious misconduct in a five-year period, disqualification was also proposed to be an option.
The committee noted the proposed legislative changes intended to strengthen standards and conduct nationally. Given that the LGA Model Code of Conduct did not provide for any additional sanctions, the committee concluded that it would not be timely to review the Council’s existing Code of Conduct at this stage.
The committee further observed that local government reorganisation would require the new authority to adopt a constitution and believed that this would provide an appropriate opportunity to review the Code of Conduct.
In response to questions, the Monitoring Officer confirmed that there had been very few complaints about councillors made by councillors and that numerous complaints from the public had been received about the same matters.
The committee supported the suggestion that the Monitoring Officer seek counsels' advice on the matters detailed within the report at paragraphs 3.13 and 3.14 and that the potential for offering annual remuneration to the council's Independent Persons as detailed in paragraph 3.11 be explored and a report considered at a future meeting.
RESOLVED that the committee:
(i) NOTED the report;
(ii) Requested that the Monitoring Officer seek Counsel's opinion on:
a. whether there had been a change in the current common law position that being a member could theoretically suggest that there was a distinction between acting as a member and acting within in one's own personal capacity; and
b. given the current usage of social media, the range of comments, and the foreseeable potential consequences, whether the range of behaviours displayed within would:
· give rise to an actionable tort or prosecution of a
criminal nature.
· be reasonable for PCC to avoid indemnity; and
· what stance PCC should take.
(iii) Requested a future report on the potential for offering annual remuneration to the council's Independent Persons; and
(iv) Placed on record its thanks to the Independent Persons.
He referenced the increase in the number of complaints, although explained that the figure was skewed to a degree in that there had been several occasions where multiple complaints had been received on a similar matter.
In keeping with previous years, he advised that complaints relating to social media continued to feature prominently, a trend that was consistent with the experience of other local authorities and not unique to Portsmouth.
He detailed paragraphs 3.13 and 3.14 of the report, which sought the committee's views on whether he, as Monitoring Officer, should seek counsel's opinion on:
1. whether there had been a change in the current common law position that being a member could theoretically suggest that there was a distinction between acting as a member and acting within in one's own personal capacity; and
2. given the current usage of social media, the range of comments, and the foreseeable potential consequences, whether the range of behaviours displayed within would:
a) give rise to an actionable tort or prosecution of a criminal nature,
b) if it would be reasonable for PCC to avoid indemnity and
c) what stance should PCC take.
He also explained that the Local Government Association (LGA) had created a draft Councillor Model Code of Conduct and put it to the committee that it may consider requesting that a future report be tabled to consider its adoption.
Whilst the LGA Model Code of Conduct would not afford the council any additional powers of sanction, there were a few key process differences in that there would be no right of appeal or defined timeframes for dealing with complaints, particularly at the initial filtering stage, and without requiring the subject member's response prior to consideration.
In addition, he advised the committee that the Government's public consultation on 'Strengthening the standards and conduct framework for local authorities in England' had concluded in November 2025, with the Government's response published on 11 November 2025.
Legislation would need to be drafted and passed, but the Government's response indicated that additional powers could be available to local authorities, including the suspension of councillors for up to six months for serious breaches. In the instance of more than one suspension for serious misconduct in a five-year period, disqualification was also proposed to be an option.
The committee noted the proposed legislative changes intended to strengthen standards and conduct nationally. Given that the LGA Model Code of Conduct did not provide for any additional sanctions, the committee concluded that it would not be timely to review the Council’s existing Code of Conduct at this stage.
The committee further observed that local government reorganisation would require the new authority to adopt a constitution and believed that this would provide an appropriate opportunity to review the Code of Conduct.
In response to questions, the Monitoring Officer confirmed that there had been very few complaints about councillors made by councillors and that numerous complaints from the public had been received about the same matters.
The committee supported the suggestion that the Monitoring Officer seek counsels' advice on the matters detailed within the report at paragraphs 3.13 and 3.14 and that the potential for offering annual remuneration to the council's Independent Persons as detailed in paragraph 3.11 be explored and a report considered at a future meeting.
RESOLVED that the committee:
(i) NOTED the report;
(ii) Requested that the Monitoring Officer seek Counsel's opinion on:
a. whether there had been a change in the current common law position that being a member could theoretically suggest that there was a distinction between acting as a member and acting within in one's own personal capacity; and
b. given the current usage of social media, the range of comments, and the foreseeable potential consequences, whether the range of behaviours displayed within would:
· give rise to an actionable tort or prosecution of a
criminal nature.
· be reasonable for PCC to avoid indemnity; and
· what stance PCC should take.
(iii) Requested a future report on the potential for offering annual remuneration to the council's Independent Persons; and
(iv) Placed on record its thanks to the Independent Persons.
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