Committee on Standards in Public Life: Local government ethical standards: report

R19-5

Response position Rejected Published January 2019

All recommendations in this report Source document ↗

Response position and delivery status are recorded separately. Acceptance does not establish implementation.

Recommendation (the Committee's words)

The Relevant Authorities (Disclosable Pecuniary Interests) Regulations 2012 should be amended to include: unpaid directorships; trusteeships; management roles in a charity or a body of a public nature; and membership of any organisations that seek to influence opinion or public policy.

From: Committee on Standards in Public Life, Local government ethical standards: report, January 2019

Government response

Government response (the government's words)

The electorate must have confidence that the decisions of their elected representatives are being made in the best interests of the community they have been elected to serve. Unpaid roles may need to be declared, if it is relevant to council business, and councillors should recuse themselves, if necessary, if discussions relate to private bodies they are involved in.

The government is mindful that councillors have a right to a private life, and rights of freedom of association outside their role as a councillor. It is frequently the case that people in public life have a complex pattern of interests and play a variety of roles with different types of organisations, including community interest groups and charities.

The government will keep this matter under review but has no immediate plans to amend the regulations.

From: HM Government. Source document ↗