Issue - meetings

To consider adoption of a new code of conduct.

This report was considered by the Ethical Governance & Personnel Committee at its meeting on 2 February. An extract from the minutes of that meeting is attached.

The draft Member Code of Conduct was presented to Council. In response to a member’s question, it was hoped that parish councils would adopt the same Code of Conduct but reiterated that the decision was for each town or parish council to make.

It was moved by Councillor Bray, seconded by Councillor Webber-Jones and unanimously

RESOLVED – the Code of Conduct as amended for local use be adopted to take effect from 1 April 2022.

To consider the draft code of conduct and make recommendations to Council.

Consideration was given to the updated code of conduct. It was noted that Leicestershire County Council and several Leicestershire districts had adopted the same version.

Concern was expressed about the wording of the first point of 12.1 and it was suggested that it read that a dispensation would only be granted once. It was agreed that this would be amended.

Clarification was sought on the definition of “partner” in appendix B and whether it should include additional wording to read “…with whom you are living as if you are married or civil partners”. It was noted that this was wording specified in the Localism Act but would be clarified in guidance on the Register of Interests form.

In response to a question from a member, it was noted that the Leicestershire & Rutland Association of Local Councils, supported by the National Association of Local Councils, was continuing to encourage town and parish councils to adopt the locally amended code of conduct and, at this stage, there was no indication that any would not be adopting it.

In relation to training, it was stated that a training provider had been procured and dates would be circulated in due course. There would be a combination of face to face and virtual training to capture as many borough and town/parish councillors as possible.

It was moved by Councillor Allen, seconded by Councillor Cartwright and

RESOLVED – the model code of conduct as amended for local use be endorsed and RECOMMENDED to Council.

The committee was updated on progress towards adopting a new code of conduct following publication of a model code of conduct by the Local Government Association earlier this year. It was reported that a working group of Leicestershire monitoring officers had been working together to agree minor changes to the model code with the intention that it could be adopted by all tiers of local government in Leicestershire as recommended by the Committee on Standards in Public Life.

It was noted that group leaders via the Member Development Group had supported recommending the locally amended code of conduct for adoption and it would therefore be brought to the next meeting of this committee before being submitted to Council. It was anticipated that any new code would be in place on 1 April 2022.