The Ombudsman, Michelle Morris, welcomed the recent decision of the Standards Committee of Carmarthenshire County Council that the Councillor should be suspended for 2 months and be required to attend Code of Conduct training within 6 months.
The Ombudsman’s report concerned a complaint that the Councillor had been convicted of drug driving and it was reported in a newspaper that she did not intend to stand down as Mayor.
The Standards Committee concluded that the Councillor had breached paragraph 6(1)(a) of the Code of Conduct – namely, that members must not conduct themselves in a manner which could reasonably be regarded as bringing their office or authority into disrepute.
Accordingly, the Standards Committee decided that the Councillor should be suspended for 2 months and be required to attend Code of Conduct training within 6 months.
Notes
The Local Government Act 2000 provides us with the statutory powers to investigate allegations that members of local authorities in Wales have breached their Code of Conduct. The Code of Conduct for elected members is intended to maintain high standards in public life and includes the requirement that elected members should not bring their authority or their office as a councillor into disrepute.
Where our investigation finds that the evidence suggests that a member has breached the Code of Conduct and further action is required in the public interest, we may refer the matter to either the Adjudication Panel for Wales or a local Standards Committee for consideration.
Where the Adjudication Panel for Wales decides that a member has breached the Code of Conduct it may suspend a member from office for up to 12 months or disqualify the member from holding office for up to 5 years.
Where a Standards Committee decides that a member has breached the Code of Conduct it may suspend a member from office for up to 6 months or issue the member with a censure. Where a member subject to a referral to a Standards Committee no longer holds office as a member the standards committee may only censure the member.
El Defensor del Pueblo de Navarra se reunió ayer con Lantxotegi para conocer la problemática de jóvenes con dificultades de inserción socio-laboral
Patxi Vega visitó la sede de la asociación Lantxotegi en Berriozar con el objetivo de seguir conociendo las necesidades de los colectivos más vulnerables de la mano de las entidades que trabajan con ellos. En este encuentro, solicitado por el Defensor, este se interesó por las dificultades que atraviesan jóvenes locales y migrantes para integrarse social y laboralmente. A los primeros, el abandono de los estudios obligatorios los coloca en riesgo de exclusión social y, a los jóvenes migrantes, la falta de vivienda o las dificultades para la homologación de su formación les impiden incorporarse al sistema educativo navarro y al mundo laboral.
Lantxotegi nació en 1983 en Berriozarpara afrontarproblemáticas como el paro juvenil o el consumo de drogas a través de la prevención. Actualmente cuenta con 25 profesionales que promueven la integración socio-laboral de los jóvenes mediante la educación,trabajando en red con los Departamentos de Educación y Derechos Servicios Sociales de Gobierno de Navarra y el Programa de Alta Exclusión del Ayuntamiento de Pamplona.
La asociacióndesarrolla principalmente los programasAlhanBek, de acogida y alfabetización de jóvenes migrantes, y HasiAnclagune, de incorporación al mundo laboral. En el ámbito formativo, Lantxotegi ofrece programas de curriculares adaptados (CPA) y formaciones profesionales básicas de agrojardinería y albañilería para chicos y chicas que han abandonado sus estudios.
En la reunión de ayer participaron por parte de Lantxotegi, su presidenta, Lidia Almirantearena, y los técnicos Santi Rabadán, responsable de Acogida y Alfabetización, y Gaizka Vizcay, responsable de Incorporación Laboral. Por parte de la Institución, estuvieron presentes el Defensor del Pueblo, Patxi Vera, y la jefa de Gabinete, Susana Galilea.
In programma per il 19 e 20 novembre e per il 16 dicembre. Nelle scorse settimane è stato reso noto l’avviso pubblico per la selezione finalizzata alla formazione di privati cittadini disposti a svolgere le funzioni in questione
Corso destinato ai tutori dei minori stranieri non accompagnati con tre appuntamenti già fissati nell’agenda del Garante regionale per il 19 e 20 novembre e per il 16 dicembre. L’iniziativa, che si terrà nel capoluogo regionale, prevede tre moduli (fenomenologico, giuridico e psico – sociosanitario) per un totale di 24 ore di lezione.
“La legge nazionale di settore – ricorda Giulianelli – demanda al Tribunale dei minori la tenuta di un apposito elenco predisposto dal Garante dell’infanzia, a cui sono affidate la selezione e la successiva formazione dei tutori. Stiamo lavorando in questa direzione attraverso tutte le iniziative che si rendono necessarie con l’auspicio di ottenere un riscontro significativo ”.
Nelle scorse settimane è stato reso noto l’avviso pubblico proprio per la selezione finalizzata alla formazione di privati cittadini disposti a svolgere le funzioni di tutore volontario se in possesso dei requisiti previsti dalla normativa vigente. La prima scadenza per la presentazione delle domande, e quindi per l’accesso al corso già programmato, è quella del 28 ottobre.
Trattandosi di un bando con procedura a sportello aperto, si potrà continuare a far pervenire le adesioni in qualsiasi momento, avendo così la possibilità di partecipare ai successivi corsi che saranno organizzati nel 2023.
The meeting will take place online on Thursday, 10 November 2022 from 13:30-17:00 CET.
The theme of this year's meeting is: How can civil society help strengthen the rule of law in the European Union? And how can the rule of law help strengthen civil society?
Respect for the rule of law is one of the founding values of the European Union (EU). Acknowledging the risk of erosion of this value, the European Commission established the European Rule of Law Mechanism, as a preventive tool which aims to promote the rule of law and prevent challenges from emerging or it deteriorating. The European Commission’s annual report on the rule of law is a core component of this Mechanism. The report acknowledges the important role that civil society organisations play for supporting institutional systems of checks and balances pertaining to the rule of law.
FRA’s 2022 annual update on civic space in the EU provides an overview of how civil society is contributing to this in many ways. It emphasizes the role that civil society plays in promoting a strong rule of law culture in the EU.
Drawing on these reports, this year’s annual meeting of the Fundamental Rights Platform will focus on how civil society can best contribute to strengthening the rule of law in their countries, and on what can be done to support civil society organisations in this endeavour.
Programme
13:30 Join us for a digital welcome coffee (bring your own coffee or tea!)
13:50 Introduction of the meeting rules by moderator and facilitator Jacki Davis
14:00-15:30 Part I: State of play of the rule of law in the EU
14:00 Welcome by Michael O’Flaherty, Director of the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA)
Simona Constantinescu, Head of Development and Advocacy, Civil Society Development Foundation Romania, and member of Council of Europe’s Expert Council on NGO law
Michael O’Flaherty, Director of the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA)
15:30-15:45 BREAK
15:45-17:00 Part II: Civil society and the rule of law – practical tools
15:45 Framing of Part II by Waltraud Heller, civic space expert at FRA
15:50 Breakout sessions hosted by CSOs
Rule of law ‘from below’ and the role of the civil society. Prof. Dr. Antoine Buyse, professor of human rights at Utrecht University and Director of the Netherlands Institute of Human Rights.
From problem to solution – how can digital tools strengthen the rule of law?Dr Paloma Krõõt Tupay, Member of the Supervisory Council of the Estonian Human Rights Centre and Deputy Member of FRA’s Management Board.
Communicating the rule of law – how to get the message across?Jakub Jaraczewski, Research Coordinator at Democracy Reporting International.
Towards an EU Civil Society Strategy. Carlotta Besozzi, Coordinator at Civil Society Europe.
Rule of Law conditionality and fundamental rights conditionality – new tool, old habits? Alessia Mora of Open Society Foundations Europe and Central Asia
Implementation of judgements – what are the problems and prospects? Dr Nino Tsereteli, Research Officer at Democracy Reporting International.
Media freedom – how to safeguard inclusive debate? Lisa-Maria Kretschmer, Head of Advocacy at Reporter ohne Grenzen/Reporters without Borders.
16:40 Reporting to the plenary from the breakout sessions
16:55 Wrap-up of the meeting and outlining of next steps by Andreas Accardo, Head of Unit Institutional Cooperation and Networks at FRA
17:00 End of the meeting
About the Fundamental Rights Platform
The Fundamental Rights Platform (FRP) is FRA’s cooperation network with non-governmental organisations and institutions of civil society, as defined in Article 10 of FRA’s Regulation. The Platform brings together around 800 organisations, including non-governmental organisations, trade unions, employers’ associations and other professional organisations, churches, religious, philosophical and non-confessional organisations, universities and human rights defenders from across the EU and the countries that have obtained observer status with FRA (Albania, North Macedonia and Serbia).
The Platform’s annual meetings are designed to offer an opportunity to exchange and connect on pressing human rights issues. Participants in the Platform’s annual meeting generally represent the local, national, European and international levels. Approximately 250 participants are expected to attend this year’s meeting, bringing together a cross-section of organisations active on the Platform, as well as representatives from international organisations, the European Parliament, the European Commission, EU agencies, national human rights institutions, equality bodies and many others.
The Ombudsperson, Maria Lúcia Amaral, received, on 25 October, the Parliamentary Secretary of State of the Federal Ministry of Justice of Germany, Benjamin Strasser, accompanied by the Head of Division for Coordination and Cooperation Affairs within the European Union, Lutz Roth, and the Minister Counsellor of the German Embassy, Ludwig Blaurock.
During the meeting, issues related to the role of the Ombudsman in Portugal and the institution’s growing activity in view of the continuous increase of complaints were addressed. The activity of the National Preventive Mechanism was also discussed, namely at the temporary installation centres, as well as the difficulties faced by the Portuguese justice system and public administration.
United Kingdom
- Wales
