Revised Guidance on the Councillors' Code of Conduct

18th December 2024

The Standards Commission has revised its Guidance on the Councillors’ Code of Conduct. The updated version can be found here. The main changes to are:

• The inclusion of a sentence noting the requirement to avoid becoming inappropriately involved in operational work and matters includes the work of, and matters concerning, ALEOs, and applies regardless of whether a councillor has been appointed as a member of the ALEO in question.
• The inclusion of a sentence noting that councillors should ensure their Register of Interests is amended if they have made a mistake with an entry. It is noted that they may wish to keep a note of why they have made an amendment, in case anyone questions this.
• The inclusion of potential relevant factors to consider when determining whether a non-financial interest requires to be registered.
• The inclusion of information noting that while councillors can make a transparency statement, a failure to do so would not amount to a breach of the Code.
• The inclusion of a sentence noting that councillors must not make any quasi-judicial or regulatory decision based on any prior discussions or agreements with their political party or group.
• The inclusion of a sentence noting, in respect of quasi-judicial and regulatory decisions that, in order to ensure councillors comply with legislation, guidelines and the Code, officers may be obliged to provide technical or legal advice. As they may be required to do so, this should not be perceived as an attempt to fetter any decision-making discretion. And that officers should not be criticised on that basis.

The Standards Commission has also updated its Advice Note for Councillors on Arms' Length External Organisations. The updated Advice Note can be found here.