More About the Standards Committee
The Council has established a Standards Committee to maintain and promote high standards of conduct. The Committee is made up of five councillors representing each of the three main political parties, three independent members and two parish council representatives. It is chaired by one of the independent members.
What Does the Standards Committee do?
The Standards Committee has the following roles and functions:
- Promoting and maintaining high standards of conduct by members and employees;
- Overseeing ethical issues and provide advice and guidance to members on the Members' Code of Conduct;
- Determining any complaints of a breach of the Members’ Code of Conduct referred to it by the Standards Board for England.
The Committee performs these roles and functions for the Borough Council and the 27 Parish and Town Councils in the Borough.
Each year the Standards Committee produces an Annual Report.
- Standards Committee Annual Report 2007/08 (PDF, 567 Kb)
The Standards Committee helped develop the Members' Planning Code of Good Practice prior to its adoption by the Borough Council on 14th April 2003. The aim of the Code is to ensure that there are no grounds for suggesting that planning decisions have been biased, partial or not well founded in any way. In 2006 the Committee reviewed the Code and a revised Code was adopted by the Council on 15th January 2007.
- Planning Code Of Good Practice (PDF, 77 Kb)
What is the Members’ Code of Conduct?
All Borough Councillors are required to agree to abide by the Members' Code of Conduct. The Code sets out the obligations of Councillors and co-opted members.
From 3rd May 2007 a revised Code of Conduct applies to Borough Councillors. The Code can be found in Part 5 of the Council's Constitution.
What is the Register of Members’ Interests?
Part of the Code requires that all Councillors (Borough and Parish/Town) are required to register their interests in a Register which is open to inspection by the public.
The things that have to be registered include Councillors’ employment, financial interests relating to businesses, details of any contracts with the Council and any other land where the Councillor has any beneficial interest. The Register also includes details of certain organisations that Councillors belong to, whether nominated by the Council, or in their own right and any gifts or hospitality they receive in the course of their duties as a councillor over the value of £25.
- Regiester of Members' Interests Form (PDF, 165 Kb)
What do I do if I want to make a complaint?
From 8th May 2008 if you wish to make a complaint that a Borough Councillor or a councillor from the 27 Town and Parish Councils in the Borough has breached the Members' Code of Conduct it should be made to the Borough Council's Standards Committee.
If you would like further information about making a complaint please contact us.