Committee on Standards in Public Life: Local government ethical standards: report
R19-4
Response position Partially accepted
Published January 2019
Response position and delivery status are recorded separately. Acceptance does not establish implementation.
Recommendation (the Committee's words)
Section 27(2) of the Localism Act 2011 should be amended to state that a local authority’s code of conduct applies to a member when they claim to act, or give the impression they are acting, in their capacity as a member or as a representative of the local authority.
From: Committee on Standards in Public Life, Local government ethical standards: report, January 2019
Government response
Government response (the government's words)
The government agrees that local authority elected representatives should act in good faith in the public interest and not seek to influence decisions for personal gain, for malicious intent or to further the interests of any business or any other organisations which they may be affiliated with.
The Local Government Association have updated their own suggested code of conduct to state that the code applies when “[a member’s] actions could give the impression to a reasonable member of the public with knowledge of all the facts that [they] are acting as a [member]”.
It is for individual local authorities to ensure that their codes of conducts are regularly updated, comprehensive and fit for purpose. Elected members receive the necessary training to make them aware of their personal responsibilities in upholding the code.
The government will keep this matter under review but has no immediate plans to amend the regulations.
The Local Government Association have updated their own suggested code of conduct to state that the code applies when “[a member’s] actions could give the impression to a reasonable member of the public with knowledge of all the facts that [they] are acting as a [member]”.
It is for individual local authorities to ensure that their codes of conducts are regularly updated, comprehensive and fit for purpose. Elected members receive the necessary training to make them aware of their personal responsibilities in upholding the code.
The government will keep this matter under review but has no immediate plans to amend the regulations.
From: HM Government. Source document ↗