Committee on Standards in Public Life: Getting the balance right: Implementing standards of conduc…
R10-15
Published January 2005
Response position and delivery status are recorded separately. Acceptance does not establish implementation.
Recommendation (the Committee's words)
Following the review of public administration, and upon the restoration of the Assembly in Northern Ireland, a Statutory Code of Conduct for Councillors should be introduced with a proportionate and locally-based framework for enforcement, drawing upon experience of other parts of the UK.
From: Committee on Standards in Public Life, Getting the balance right: Implementing standards of conduct in public life, January 2005
Government response
Government response (the government's words)
In response to earlier requests from the Northern Ireland local government sector for a statutory code, and taking account of recommendation 15 of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, the Department of the Environment has now established a working group involving local government representatives to review the existing voluntary code which was introduced in 2003 and to explore options including whether the code should be made mandatory.
The Government welcomes the recommendations in Chapter 3 of the 10th report of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, and the contribution which the Committee has made to the development of thinking on the future of the conduct regime for local government members. The Committee will be aware of the recent recommendations of the ODPM Select Committee on the role and effectiveness of the Standards Board for England, as well as the recommendations flowing from the Board’s recent review of the code of conduct for members. The detailed response below reflects the Government’s conclusions following consideration of the recommendations arising from all of these reports.
We agree with the general view the Graham Committee took that there would be benefits in moving towards the promotion of more locally-based decision making in conduct issues, which would encourage local ownership of standards within local authorities. We consider this should take place within a national framework and with a strong continuing role for the Standards Board at the heart of the regime in providing guidance and support and promoting best practice on the handling of allegations by local authorities. We consider this is necessary to ensure public confidence in the fairness and independence of the system. We share the Committee’s vision of a Board with a strategic role in championing high standards of conduct and ensuring the effectiveness of the regime.
We also agree that confidence would be enhanced by strengthening the capacity and capability of standards committees to undertake a more active role by increasing the contribution made by independent
members serving on committees and a simplification and clarification of the code of conduct for members, so that it is easier to understand and operate at local level. We will work closely with the Standards Board on the detailed proposals for amendments to the code of conduct, and implement changes as soon as practicable. Where these require primary legislation, our intention is to seek this at the next convenient opportunity that Parliamentary time allows.
The Government’s detailed responses on each of the Committee’s proposals are set out below:
The Government welcomes the recommendations in Chapter 3 of the 10th report of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, and the contribution which the Committee has made to the development of thinking on the future of the conduct regime for local government members. The Committee will be aware of the recent recommendations of the ODPM Select Committee on the role and effectiveness of the Standards Board for England, as well as the recommendations flowing from the Board’s recent review of the code of conduct for members. The detailed response below reflects the Government’s conclusions following consideration of the recommendations arising from all of these reports.
We agree with the general view the Graham Committee took that there would be benefits in moving towards the promotion of more locally-based decision making in conduct issues, which would encourage local ownership of standards within local authorities. We consider this should take place within a national framework and with a strong continuing role for the Standards Board at the heart of the regime in providing guidance and support and promoting best practice on the handling of allegations by local authorities. We consider this is necessary to ensure public confidence in the fairness and independence of the system. We share the Committee’s vision of a Board with a strategic role in championing high standards of conduct and ensuring the effectiveness of the regime.
We also agree that confidence would be enhanced by strengthening the capacity and capability of standards committees to undertake a more active role by increasing the contribution made by independent
members serving on committees and a simplification and clarification of the code of conduct for members, so that it is easier to understand and operate at local level. We will work closely with the Standards Board on the detailed proposals for amendments to the code of conduct, and implement changes as soon as practicable. Where these require primary legislation, our intention is to seek this at the next convenient opportunity that Parliamentary time allows.
The Government’s detailed responses on each of the Committee’s proposals are set out below:
From: HM Government. Source document ↗