Issue - meetings

To consider the Council’s response to a consultation exercise on ethical standards in local government.

The Committee considered a report, set out at Agenda pages 7 to 14, which gave details of a review of local government ethical standards being undertaken by the Committee on Standards in Public Life.

The consultation covered a range of issues including Member Codes of Conduct, governance arrangements for dealing with complaints and the effectiveness of sanctions.

Members considered consultation questions relating to the following specific issues:

·           Effectiveness of existing structures, processes and practices;

·           Any significant gaps in the current ethical standards regime;

·           Effectiveness of Codes of Conduct;

·           Investigations and decisions on allegations;

·           Effectiveness of the current sanctions regime;

·           Declaration of interests and conflicts of interest;

·           Effectiveness of whistleblowing arrangements;

·           Potential steps to improve ethical standards;

·           Intimidation of local Councillors.

The Committee commented on each of the issues and agreed that Andrew Moulton (Assistant Director, Governance) respond on behalf of the Committee after consultation with the Chairman. Members also felt that the consultation response should be shared with the Group Leaders and that individual Members be notified that they could submit their own response.

RESOLVED That:

1)     the Committee’s response to the consultation on ethical standards in local government be completed by the Assistant Director, Governance in consultation with the Chairman;

2)     the draft consultation response be shared with the Group Leaders for information;

3)     all Members be informed that they are able to submit individual consultation responses.