Agenda item

Standards Update

Minutes:

The Committee considered a report of the Head of Legal and Democratic Services and Monitoring Officer which informed Members of the ‘national picture’ on standards issues affecting local government (for copy see file of Minutes).

 

Members discussed the Committee on Standards in Public Life’s call for consultation on improving ethical standards in third party providers of public services, and the response to the consultation exercise regarding the review of local government ethical standards. Following a question from Councillor Batson about how the Council was making its views known in relation to the standards regime, the Head of Legal and Democratic Services and Monitoring Officer referred the Member to the response to the consultation attached at Appendix 2 of the report, and also to a previous consultation regarding disqualification criteria for Councillors.   Both consultations had been considered by the Standards Committee and Constitution Working Group, and any further opportunities to submit views would be reported to Members. In addition the Officer was a member of Lawyers in Local Government which had a voice with organisations such as the Local Government Association and the Society of Local Council Clerks, which were useful forums to express the views of Councils in relation to the standards regime. All Town and Parish Councils had also been invited to respond to the consultation.

 

Councillor Clark noted that the Committee had been advised previously that Code of Conduct training was not mandatory and asked if this was likely to change as part of the review.  The Member was informed that the inability of Councils to compel Members to comply with recommended actions and the lack of sanctions had been raised as part of the response to the consultation. It had also been said that mandatory training for all elected members would improve ethical standards, and this was being explored for Durham County Councillors as part of a review of member development, but it would be more difficult under the present regime to require Town and Parish Councillors to attend Code of Conduct training.

 

Councillor Clark referred to the new guidance on scrutiny committees to be published later this year and hoped that training would be provided on any changes to the overview and scrutiny system.

 

Resolved:

 

 That the report be noted, and Officers monitor the progress of the matters referred to and update the Committee.   

Supporting documents: