The Thanet Star

Monitoring Officer

Written by Matt B · first published 07/08/2008

Thanet District Council (TDC) employ a Monitoring Officer. This office is significant for a number of reasons but in terms of local news it relates most strongly to the questions of planning applications F/TH/04/0297 and F/TH/06/0984 (not to mention a few in between). These are the planning application numbers for a plot of land that Thanet Strife has recently written about (the one that Cllr Simon Day is closely associated with).

Paul Moore is the current Monitoring Officer for old TDC. I had read (somewhere, I forget where) that he had left the post but I am informed that he remains in the position until sometime towards the end of September after which he will move to Wandsworth. When Paul Moore departs us another Monitoring Officer will be appointed.

The task of the Monitoring Officer is to advise both the Members and the Officers of TDC on the standards they should adhered to. Furthermore it the Monitoring Officer's task to investigate any and all possible infringements, breaches and deviations from those standards. After he has completed an investigation the Monitoring Officer will decide to report to the local Standards Board, the national Standards Board (The Standards Board for England) or in some cases the Police.

After the Monitoring Officer has made his report the matter is then subject to the group he hands off too. They will choose to investigate or not. Through out this process and beyond to the next level of investigation it is forbidden by the Constitution for a councilor to "intimidate" (or attempt to) a complainant or witness.

The rules governing an investigation by the Monitoring Officer make it highly inadvisable for a councilor or officer of TDC to pass any sort of comment at all. They are advised to simply reply that the matter is being investigated. It seems that this answer is not a case of "stone walling" by members but simply a desire not to become part of the problem.

A big thanks to Ken for his advice and input in explaining to me what a Monitoring Officer is and does.

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Public Comments

James Maskell wrote:

Surely there has to be a prima facie case of an infringement etc for an investigation to take place, rather than an internet allegation which can actually be explained quite easily, such as in the case you refer to above. As you posted on the Microblog, the Ombudsman saw nothing wrong with it. As I said on Thanet Strife, the procedure was followed properly and the problem was one of disagreeing with the opinion of the Planning Committee and the Full Council.

A member of the public throwing around an accusation with little supporting evidence isnt grounds for a full investigation.

08/08/2008 08:18:50

Rick wrote:

Matt

I received a letter dated Sunday 3rd August from Mark GILMARTIN Chief Executive of Kent Police Authority.

He informed me that he has drawn up a summary of concerns going back 20 years. This is to be presented to Chair of the KPA Standards Board to determine if they have a jurisdiction (in the Code adopted 2002) to conduct a standards investigation re Cllr William Hayton (a Thanet based county cllr who sits on KPA).

As I understand it the usual procedure if that the KPA Treasurer conduct inquiry or summarize concerns to Chair of Standards within twenty days of receipt of complaint.

It is far longer than twenty days since I wrote my complaint against Hayton.

I wonder if Mr GILMARTIN working on a Sunday to reply to me would be anything to do with the Rosemary Nelson Inquiry.

And I note that TDC current moinitoring officer will be in new employ in September ?

Which is when the Rosemary Nelson Decd Judicial Inquiry re-sits to examine witnesses.

Coincidence to be sure. No one would skip from the fine employment of TDC surely ?

08/08/2008 15:25:33

Rick wrote:

James

I think you refer to the blog with the bluetral tint ?

The blog appears to carefully target its criticisms (for example countenancing no wrong with the said Cllr William Hayton whose planning position appears to enjoy the approval of the blog)

08/08/2008 15:31:49

Rick wrote:

Matt

There is a really clever regeneration related scheme going on up here in the North.

(Going off topic)

If you email me via my blog if you interested perhaps I can collate some information and email back.

Its basis is that there are a proportion of people on benefits who genuinely want to work and this scheme coaches them into self employment (but using techniques unlike anything I ever saw ... and I am really impressed)

You might want to to a thread on it and question would it help Thanet. Won't work run by public sector people.

Michael Child would be ecstatic to meet the lady running this show here. She is a qualified surveyor whose hobby is buying up old libraries and she writes plays. Brilliant free market networker.

Maybe hear from you

08/08/2008 15:36:53

Matt B wrote:

Rick, you are right - just blogging about things makes no case but I understand that a number of bloggers may have emailed councillors asking for more information and making suggestions that things might not be as they seem. Those that used their real names would be considered to making be making a formal complaint and the procedure must be followed.

Regardless of that I feel it is my job to document and encurage the documenting of the way the council works.

09/08/2008 10:55:01

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