About Us
The Standards Commission is an independent body whose purpose is to encourage high ethical standards in public life through the promotion and enforcement of Codes of Conduct for councillors and those appointed to the boards of devolved public bodies.
- What We Do
- Who We Are
- Standards Commission Meetings
- Audit and Risk Committee
- Who We Cover
- Our Service
- Policies & Procedures
- FAQs
-
News and Blog
- Health and Social Care IJBs - Standards Officer Appointments
- Survey on the Hearing Process
- Feedback on the Hearings Survey
- Advice Note for Councillors on ALEOs
- Updated Standard Presentation to Elected Members
- New Convener Appointed
- Consultation on the Councillors' Code of Conduct
- How Councils Work - Follow Up Report Nov 2016
- New Member of the Commission - Mr Michael McCormick
- Appointment of New Commission Member
- @StandardsScot
- Updated Standard Presentation to Board Members
- Application of Article 10 of ECHR at Hearings of the Standards Commission
- Consultation on Draft Advice Note on Application of Article 10
- Advice for Councillors on How to Declare Interests
- A Councillor's Responsibilities to the Council as a Member of the Public
- Standards Commission's Regional Roadshows
- Revised Guidance on the Councillors' Code of Conduct
- Advice Note for Councillors on the Application of Article 10 of the ECHR
- Festive Closure
- January 2018 Professional Briefing
- Consultation on draft Advice Note for Councillors on Distinguishing Between Strategic and Operational Management
- Member vacancy
- Administrative Assistant Vacancy
- Flowchart on Making Declarations of Interest
- April 2018 Professional Briefing
- Proposed changes to the Councillors' Code of Conduct
- Standards Commission - BSL Plan
- New Standards Commission Member appointed
- Advice Note for Councillors on Distinguishing between their Strategic Role and any Operational Work
- Health & Social Care Integration Joint Board Members' Workshop 24 Sept 2018
- BSL Video on role of the Standards Commission
- British Sign Language Event reminder
- Response to Committee on Standards in Public Life's Review of Ethical Standards in Local Government in England
- June 2018 Professional Briefing
- Amended Councillors' Code of Conduct
- Amended Guidance on the Councillors' Code of Conduct
- Annual Report 2017/18
- Regional Roadshows on the Councillors' Code of Conduct
- Draft British Sign Language (BSL) Plan - consultation
- Standards Commission - Role and Remit (BSL Video)
- British Sign Language (BSL) Plan
- Sept 2018 Professional Briefing
- Interim Suspensions
- Survey of Members of Devolved Public Bodies
- Standards Commission Member Recruitment
- Standards Update December 2018
- Change of Venue - Regional Roadshow
- Assisting Constituents Card
- Further Analysis of Responses to Survey of Members of Devolved Public Bodies
- New Standards Commission Member appointed
- Hearings Flowchart
- Standards Update March 2019
- Ethical Standards Act Section 19(6) Policy
- Standards Update July 2019
- Appeal Judgement
- Annual Report 2018-19
- Standards Update September 2019
- Interim Suspensions
- Advice Note for Members of IJBs
- Draft Strategic Plan 2020-24
- Standards Update December 2019
- Standards Officers' Workshop
- Suspension Guidance
- Postponement of Standards Officers' workshop on 23 March 2020
- Hearing in Stornoway on 18 March 2020 postponed
- Standards Commission - remote working arrangements
- Standards Update March 2020
- Amended Advice Notes
- Standards Update July 2020
- Standards Commission Hearings
- Advice Note for Public on Councillors’ Code
- Standards Update September 2020
- Disqualification
- Scottish Government Consultations on the Councillors' Code of Conduct and the Model Code of Conduct for Members of Devolved Public Bodies
- Direction on the Outcome of Investigations
- Recruitment for a new Convener
- Committee on Standards in Public Life Public (CSPL) Consultation: Standards Matter 2
- Standards Update December 2020
- Business Manager & Caseworker Recruitment
- Appeal Decision
- "You're on Mute!"
- Direction on the Eligibility of Complaints
- BSL video on Councillors' Code of Conduct and Guidance - Advice for Members of the Public
- Pause before you post!
- Standards Update March 2021
- Striking a balance!
- Why Transparency Matters
- Vacancies
- Accessibility
- Use of Personal Information
Accessibility
Accessing our services
If you have specific needs, we will make reasonable adjustments wherever possible. You can tell us about your needs by contacting us. Please explain exactly what you need, and we will let you know what we can do.
Website Accessibility
The Standards Commission is committed to making our website as accessible as possible to everyone, regardless of the technology being used or the ability of the user. If you find any problems when using our website or think we are not meeting the accessibility requirements please let us know so we can continue to look at improving our website.
You can find out more about web accessibility standards at the following web link: www.w3.org/standards/webdesign/accessibility (link is external).
Using the website
You can change the size of the text and the colour contrast on the site using the controls provided at the top of every page.
Further sources of advice
Ability Net also have a free guide 'My Computer My Way' which provides information and instructions on how to access a range of accessibility features on laptops, tablets and mobile phones.
Compliance Statement
This website is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.1 AA standard, due to the following exemptions listed below.
Content that’s not within the scope of the accessibility regulations
PDF and other documents
We publish files on our website using a variety of electronic file formats. Most of our publications are available in PDF and Word format. If your screen reader has any difficulties on the site, please get in touch and we’ll see what we can do.
To read PDF documents you will need to have the Adobe Acrobat reader which you can download for free from the Adobe Website. If you want to access PDF documents with a screen reader please refer to the accessibility information on the Adobe website which provides useful tools and resources.
The accessibility regulations do not require us to fix PDFs or other documents published before 23 September 2018
Live video
We do not plan to add captions to live video streams because live video is exempt from meeting the accessibility regulations.
Do you use British Sign Language (BSL)?
BSL users can contact us by using contactSCOTLAND-BSL, the online British Sign Language interpreting service. Find out more information about this service on the contactSCOTLAND-BSL website. If you are visiting our office and require British Sign Language interpreting, please email to make an enquiry about making arrangements for this service.
This video tells you more about the BSL service.
Enforcement procedure
The Equality and Human Rights Commission enforces the accessibility regulations (the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018).
If you're not happy with how we respond to your feedback, contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service. They are an independent advice service. They will advise you on what to do next.
Preparation of this accessibility statement
This statement was prepared on 10 March 2020. It was last reviewed on 23 September 2020.
