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.
News and Blog
Video for NHS Board Secretaries on the role of a Standards Officer
12th February 2026
The Standards Commission has produced a short video for NHS Board Secretaries on the role of a Standards Officer. The video can be found here and covers: the NHS context; the purpose of the role and why it is important; and the tasks NHS Board Standards Officers are expected to undertake, in terms of the ethi...
Revised Guidance on the Councillors’ Code and Advice Notes for Councillors
28th January 2026
Revised Guidance on the Councillors’ Code and Advice Notes for Councillors Following feedback and in light of some enquiries received by email, telephone and at training events, we’ve reviewed and updated our Guidance on the Councillors’ Code of Conduct. We’ve also updated the following Advice Notes for councillors, in order to ensure they are as clear and helpful as possible: Advice Note on Distinguishing Between their Strategic Ro...
Standard Training Presentations on the Codes of Conduct
5th January 2026
The Standards Commission has updated its standard training presentations on both the Councillors’ Code of Conduct and the Model Code of Conduct for Members of Devolved Public Bodies. Both presentations (including the explanatory notes) can be accessed and downloaded from here.
Standards Update December 2025
17th December 2025
Our latest Standards Update is now available.
Meet the Standards Commission's Members - Morag Ferguson
17th December 2025
1. Why did you apply to be a member of the Standards Commission? I was reaching the end of a long career in Local Government legal and governance services but wasn’t ready to ‘fully retire’, so an opportunity to use my experience in a different way was really appealing to me. 2. What aspect of the role have you found the most challenging or surprising? I had been aware of the work of...
Does the Councillors’ Code prevent effective scrutiny by councillors?
27th November 2025
Does the Councillors’ Code prevent effective scrutiny by councillors? Councillors, as elected representatives, are responsible for assisting the public in scrutinising how their local authorities deliver essential services to communities, including housing, education and waste management. Given the importance of these services and the expenditure of public funds involved in their delivery, it is vital that councillors are able to undertake robust scrutiny...
Training on the Councillors' Code for the Scottish Conservative Councillors Association
20th November 2025
The Standards Commission was pleased to have been invited by the Scottish Conservative Councillors Association to provide training for its members on the Councillors' Code of Conduct. The training, which took place online on 18 November 2025, provoked a lot of discussion among attendees, and the Standards Commission hopes that they found the training as useful and informative as it did.
Joint Webinars with the Improvement Service
17th November 2025
Joint Webinars with the Improvement Service The Improvement Service and Standards Commission are hosting two webinars for elected members on the following provisions in the Councillors’ Code of Conduct: Distinguishing between strategic and operational matters on 15 January 2026 from 10:00 – 11:30...
Meet the Standards Commission's Members - Malcolm Bell
11th November 2025
1. Why did you apply to be a member of the Standards Commission? I have over 40 years in public service and I saw the Standards Commission as an opportunity to remain engaged and contribute further. I have always been committed to upholding high ethical standards in public life and believe my experience and skills can support the Commission’s valuable work. 2. How do you find being a member of a...
Fixed Term Case Manager Vacancy
31st October 2025
We are currently recruiting for a full-time, fixed-term Case Manager. The advert, job description and an application form can be found here. The salary is £56,875 and closing date is noon on 17 November 2025.
