Issue - meetings

To receive the report.

Contact: David Stickley, Legal Services

That the report be noted.

The Committee received a report providing an update on recent developments in local government ethics and standards cases since the last meeting in March 2025. Several notable cases had been reported in the Local Government Lawyer, including a finding of improper influence by a planning committee member at King’s Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council, and a councillor in Tameside found in breach of the code following social media comments. The report also referenced a case in Durham where a newly elected councillor had to step down due to being an employee of the authority, and a former councillor referred to the police for failing to declare a disclosable pecuniary interest. Additionally, the committee noted the outcome of the trial of former councillor Ricky Jones, who was acquitted of encouraging violent disorder.

The report also summarised recent published decisions from standards bodies across the UK. The Standards Commission for Scotland had considered six cases, with breaches found in five, resulting in suspensions or censures. In Northern Ireland, two cases were heard, both resulting in suspensions. The Public Services Ombudsman for Wales investigated 13 cases, none of which were upheld. The Committee was also updated on the work of the Committee on Standards in Public Life (CSPL), including its March 2025 report on early warning signs in public sector bodies and its June 2025 annual report, which revisited the 2019 review of local government ethical standards. No feedback had yet been published on the government’s consultation on local standards and conduct.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.