Elected from within their local communities, and tasked with making decisions that affect the whole community, it is right that councillors are held accountable for their conduct and integrity while fulfilling their role.
The Government recently consulted on strengthening the standards and conduct framework for local authorities in England, and as Chair of the LGA Civility in Public Life Steering Group, I worked with the LGA’s Governance Working Group on the LGA’s response.
“A reformed standards system must not create a chilling effect on democratic speech”
The response acknowledges that a councillor standards system that promotes high standards of conduct and behaviour is a key factor in ensuring high-quality decision-making and local democracy.
But the vast majority of councillors act with the best intentions and do display high standards of conduct.
Members felt strongly that the current system is too inconsistent and too open to false accusations to introduce extraordinary powers of suspension, as proposed by government, without significant safeguards and major changes to how complaints against councillors are handled.
A successful standards framework should set out clear expectations, enshrine freedom of speech, and clarify when councillor conduct is in the scope of the code of conduct.
A reformed standards system must not create a chilling effect on democratic speech and should recognise the mandate of councillors to represent their residents’ views and hold each other to account.
- For more information about the LGA’s political groups, see LGA website.