Standards Update 21

Includes information about:

• Review of both the Councillors’ Code of Conduct and the Model Code of Conduct for Members of Devolved Public Bodies
• Assisting Constituents Card
• Our new Standards Commission Member
• How to make a complaint about Councillors and Members of Devolved Public Bodies
• The new Commissioner for Ethical Standards
• The outcomes of recent Hearings

Standards Update 20

Includes information about:

• The Standards Commission's new Interim Suspension's Policy.
• Videos on the Ethical Standards Framework and Key Principles.
• A Monitoring Officers' Workshop held on 5 November 2018.
• The outcome of a recent Hearing and new cases received by the Standards Commission.

Professional Briefing 19

Includes information about:

• Further examples added to our Advice Note for Councillors on Distinguishing between their Strategic Role and any Operational Work.
• Revised Flowchart on Making Declarations of Interest.
• Monitoring Officers' Workshop being held in Edinburgh on 5 November 2018.
• Regional Roadshows for elected members on the revised Councillors' Code of Conduct taking place in Perth on 14 November 2018 and in Motherwell on 18 February 2019.
• Our new Facebook page.
• The outcomes of recent Hearings.

Professional Briefing 18

Includes information about:

• Advice note for Councillors on Distinguishing between their Strategic Role and any Operational Work.
• Standards Commission's response to a consultation by the Committee on Standards in Public Life.
• A dispensation granted to elected members, and substitute members, appointed to the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal.
• The outcome of a recent Hearing.
• Training workshop for Members of Health and Social Care Integration Joint Boards to be held on 24 September 2018.
• Save the date invitation about annual Monitoring Officers' workshop due to be held in Edinburgh on 5 November 2018.
• Appointment of a new Standards Commission Member.

Professional Briefing 17

Includes information about:

• Matters discussed at the Standards Officers' workshop held on 26 March 2018, including the establishment of a contact database for officers of Health and Social Care Integrated Joint Boards.
• A flowchart for the use of councillors when making declarations of interests.  
• A dispensation granted to elected members, and substitute members, appointed to the Tay Cities Region Joint Committee.
• A workshop to be held on 24 September 2018 on the Codes of Conduct for Members of Health and Social Care Integration Joint Boards. 
• The outcomes of recent Hearings.

Professional Briefing 16

Includes information about:

• How to make comments in respect of whether the Codes of Conduct and  / or the Standards Commission's Guidance should be strengthened to help deter and/or deal with harassment and bullying behaviour by councillors and board members while they are acting in that context.
• Guidance the Standards Commission has issued on how its Hearing Panels make decisions (in terms of consensus or majority) on both breach and sanction at its Hearings.
• Workshops to be held in 2018 for Members of Health & Social Care Integration Joint Boards and for Members of College Boards.
• The outcomes of recent Hearings.

Professional Briefing 15

Includes information about:

• Details of new Advice Notes now available on our website for Councillors and Members of Devolved Public Bodies, on the Application of Article 10 of the ECHR and also on how to make declarations of interests;
• Revised Guidance for the Councillors' Code of Conduct issued on 1 September 2017; and
• Our Regional Roadshow events for Councillors and how you can book your place.

Learning outcomes from our recent Hearings are also included as part of our regular update on Hearings.

Professional Briefing 14

Includes information about:

• Regional Roadshows for elected members on the Councillors’ Code of Conduct that the Standards Commission is holding later in the year in Inverness, Ayr, Glasgow and Edinburgh;
• Details of recent Hearings; and
• Details of an article published by the Standards Commission on the approach its Hearing Panels will take when issues concerning the application of Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) arise.  

Professional Briefing 13

Contains information about:

• The appointment of a new Member of the Standards Commission
• Our response to the Scottish Government consultation on changes to the Councillors' Code of Conduct
• Learning outcomes from recent Hearings

Professional Briefing 12

Contains information about:

• The appointment of a new Convener for the Standards Commission
• Progress in the appointment of two new Members of the Commission
• Learning outcomes from recent Hearings

Professional Briefing 11

Contains information about:

• The Standards Commission's Guidance on ALEOs
• The outcome of the survey on the way Hearings are managed and conducted
• A dispensation granted in respect of the Aberdeen City Region Deal

Professional Briefing 10

Contains information about:

• Our survey about the management of Hearings
• Guidance for Councillors on Arm’s Length External Organisations
• Learning outcomes from recent Hearings

Professional Briefing 9

Contains information about:

• The Standards Commission's Strategic Plan for 2016/2020
• Future plans in respect of the Guidance on the Councillors' Code of Conduct
• A survey about the management of Hearings
• Learning outcomes from recent Hearings

Professional Briefing 8

Contains information about:

• Revised Guidance on the Councillors' Code of Conduct
• The Standards Officer Workshop and the new Guidance for Members of Devolved Public Bodies
• Health and Social Care Integration Joint Boards
• Hearings since the last Briefing

Professional Briefing 7

Contains information about:

• A workshop for Standards Officers;
• The New Member of the Standards Commission;
• The Consultation on draft Revised Guidance on the Councillors' Code of Conduct; and
• A recent Hearing.

Professional Briefing 6

Topics covered include:

• The outcome of a dispensation request on behalf of NESTRANS;
• An update on Integration Joint Boards; and
• Other work being undertaken by the Standards Commission.

Professional Briefing 5

Contains news on:

• The granting of a dispensation for members of Health & Social Care Integration Joint Boards under both the Councillors' Code of Conduct and Health Board Members' Code;
• Inaccurate press reporting; and
• Learning points from a recent Hearing.

Professional Briefing 4

Topics covered include:

• An overview of the launch of the Revised Guidance for the Model Code of Conduct for Devolved Public Bodies; and
• The outcomes of five Hearings held since the last Professional Briefing. 

Professional Briefing 3

Provides an update on:

• Feedback from the Monitoring Officer / Standards Officer workshops; and
• The subsequent action plan arising for the Standards Commission.

Professional Briefing 2

Contains:

• A review of two past cases dealt with by the Standards Commission; and
• Notes highlighting considerations for councillors around Declaration of Interests and Use of Council Facilities. 

Professional Briefing 1

Topics covered include:

• Feedback from a survey on the views of councillors in respect of the Ethical Standards Framework, including a summary of the survey questions, an overall view of the results, where further guidance may be helpful and next steps for the Standards Commission; and
• Ideas for improvements to be taken forward by the Standards Commission.