Standards Board for England

Overview

The Standards Board for England helps build confidence in local democracy. The Board promotes the ethical behaviour of members and co-opted members who serve on a range of authorities through receiving and investigating allegations that members may have breached the Code of Conduct.

From the 8 May 2008, the Standards Board for England will take a more strategic role and provide guidance and support to the Standards Committee and the Monitoring Officer on undertaking their new roles and will monitor their performance to ensure consistency of standards across the country.

Standards Board for England Guidance

The Standards Board of England has produced a guidance document for Councillors called “The Code of Conduct- Guide for Members 2007”. It is a quick guide to the provisions of the national Code of Conduct, which applies to Councillors and Co-opted members. A copy can be downloaded from their website, www.standardsboard.co.uk.

 

Additional Information

The Standards Board for England Bulletin

The Standards Board for England produces a regular newsletter called “The Bulletin”. The newsletter provides useful guidance on issues relating to the Code of Conduct for Members and the likely impact on members in the Council.

A copy of the Bulletin can be downloaded here.

Pre-determination or Bias

The issue of the predetermination and bias has proved to be a difficult and controversial issue for many members and monitoring officers.

The Standards Board for England has produced a paper called “Predisposition, predetermination, or Bias, and the Code”, which hopes to explain the kinds of circumstances in which members are pre-disposed and so can take part in a debate and vote, and where they are pre-determined and could put the validity of a decision at risk by participating.

The paper is based on advice from Treasury Counsel, Philip Sales QC:

Ethical Monitoring Data

The Standards Committee receives an Ethical Monitoring Report at each meeting which reviews the Council’s implementation of the Ethical Framework. The report includes a review of complaints , personal and prejudicial interests and future work of the Committee to ensure high standards of behaviour are observed and maintained by the members of this Council.

  • To view a copy of the most recent Ethical Monitoring report please see the agenda items of the relevant meeting.

Sixth Annual Assembly of the Standards Committee, 15-16 October 2007, ICC, Birmingham

  • "Down to detail" (DOC)
    - an article by Caryle Webb-Ingall, our Independent Member of the Standards Committee, in relation to her experience at the conference.

Seventh Annual Assembly of the Standards Committee, 13-14 October 2008, ICC, Birmingham

This year's conference is called Delivering the Goods: Local Standards in Action. More information about the conference can be found at www.annualassembly.co.uk