This report informs the Committee of the progress in implementing the recommendations of the Committee on Standards in Public Life report on Local Government Ethical Standards.

Recommendation: That the Standards Committee resolves to:

a)    note the report; and

b)    consider whether there are any particular recommendations from the Committee on Standards in Public Life that the Committee would like to consider further at a future meeting.

The Monitoring Officer presented the report which provided an update on the Committee on Standards in Public Life’s (CSPL) report on ethical standards in local government.

The Monitoring Officer reminded the Committee that the Council’s arrangements already encapsulated several of the recommendations and best practice proposals.She referred the Committee to the recent change in the rules applying to local government elections which had come in to force for the election held in May 2019. There was no longer any requirement for candidates standing as local councillors to have their home addresses published during the election process and included on the ballot paper.   

The Monitoring Officer said that the Oxfordshire Monitoring Officer Group had discussed the report at a recent meeting, specifically in regard to the Members’ Code of Conduct. They had agreed that they would not take any action in regard to those recommendations or best practice proposals for revisions to the Members’ Code of Conduct until the government had issued a formal response to the CSPL report to ensure that any revisions addressed the content of the final recommendations.

The Committee asked questions about and discussed the implications of some of the recommendations, including but not limited to, the use of social media (Rec.3), the changes to disclosable pecuniary interests (Rec. 5) and the possible introduction of powers of suspension (Rec. 10 and 13). 

The Committee noted that as many of the recommendations would require a legislative change, the timescales for which were uncertain, the Monitoring Officer would maintain a watching brief on the matter.

The Standards Committee resolved to note the update report on the Committee on Standards in Public Life report on Local Government Ethical Standards.

Report of:     Anita Bradley, Monitoring Officer

Purpose:       This report informs the Committee of the findings of the Committee on Standards in Public Life report on Local Government Ethical Standards.

Recommendation:

That the Standards Committee notes the report and considers whether there are any particular recommendations from the Committee on Standards in Public Life that the Committee would like to consider further at a future meeting.

The Monitoring Officer presented the report which provided an update on the Committee on Standards in Public Life’s (CSPL) consultation on ethical standards in local government. The CSPL published their report on 30 January 2019 and made a number of recommendations to the government which aim to strengthen the standards regime and build an “ethical culture” in local authorities.

The Monitoring Officer highlighted those recommendations which sought to clarify and broaden arrangements for registering and declaring members’ interests, strengthen and clarify the role of Independent Persons, manage conflicts of interest in more complex governance environments (e.g. where councils own companies) and make a model code of conduct available to all councils (as was the case prior to the Localism Act 2011).

The Monitoring Officer said that the Council was already following some of recommendations e.g. registering gifts and hospitality, including a public interest test in complaint handling arrangements and addressing new areas of behaviour such as the use of social media. The Committee noted that as many of the recommendations would require a legislative change, the timescales for which were uncertain, the Monitoring Officer would maintain a watching brief on the matter.

The Standards Committee resolved to note the officer report on the Committee on Standards in Public Life report on Local Government Ethical Standards.

Report of:    Anita Bradley, Monitoring Officer

Purpose:

This report informs the Committee of the Committee on Standards in Public Life – Local Government Ethical Standards Consultation and the Oxford City Council response to that consultation.

Recommendation:

That the Standards Committee notes the report.

The Monitoring Officer introduced the report on the Committee on Standards in Public Life – Local Government Ethical Standards Consultation.  She summarised the key points the Council had made in its response to the consultation as being that:

·         Bullying behaviours were difficult to address under the current standards regime.

·         Adopted codes of conduct did not adequately deal with the misuse of social media and ICT equipment.

·         There was some confusion about what interests should be declared, resulting in members sometimes declaring too much or too little.

·         The range of available sanctions was too limited to provide an effective deterrent.

·         There was some confusion about role of independent persons.

·         The seven ‘Nolan’ principles of public life remained relevant and continued to provide a sound basis for all codes of conduct.

In response to questions, the Committee noted that:

·         Disclosable pecuniary interests (DPIs) were the compulsory provisions for registering and declaring interests.  DPIs were considered to be somewhat limited and there was a need for members to think more broadly about their interests.  For example, DPI’s extended to a member’s spouse but not to other family members.

·         While the public might reasonably expect the behaviours stipulated in codes of conduct to apply at all times, the legal position was that codes were only applicable insofar as members were acting in an official capacity as a councillor (or purporting to act as a councillor).

The Committee noted the report.