Committee on Standards in Public Life: Local government ethical standards: report
R19-24
Published January 2019
Response position and delivery status are recorded separately. Acceptance does not establish implementation.
Recommendation (the Committee's words)
Councillors should be listed as ‘prescribed persons’ for the purposes of the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998.
From: Committee on Standards in Public Life, Local government ethical standards: report, January 2019
Government response
Government response (the government's words)
Prescribed persons are individuals or organisations that a worker may approach outside their workplace to report suspected or known wrongdoing and still be protected by the rights afforded to them under whistleblowing legislation. They are prescribed by an order made by the Secretary of State (for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy) for this purpose. See a complete list of prescribed persons.
Local councillors would not meet the criteria of being external to an individual’s workplace in relation to matters affecting the council and could therefore not be considered as a ‘prescribed person’ for the purposes of the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998. Disclosures relating to local authorities can be made to the external auditor of the relevant authority, the Comptroller and Auditor General (National Audit Office), or a Member of Parliament.
However, the government recognises that this may provide a further check and balance against council corruption or wrongdoing and is open to further representations on the matter on how local accountability can be strengthened in this regard.
Local councillors would not meet the criteria of being external to an individual’s workplace in relation to matters affecting the council and could therefore not be considered as a ‘prescribed person’ for the purposes of the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998. Disclosures relating to local authorities can be made to the external auditor of the relevant authority, the Comptroller and Auditor General (National Audit Office), or a Member of Parliament.
However, the government recognises that this may provide a further check and balance against council corruption or wrongdoing and is open to further representations on the matter on how local accountability can be strengthened in this regard.
From: HM Government. Source document ↗