‘Lack of real sanctions’ for misbehaving Peterborough councillors in new code of conduct

Presenting the draft document to members of the Constitution and Ethics Committee, Fiona McMillan, Director of Law and Governance, said: “We’ve been waiting for this since the Committee on Standards in Public Life published its report back in January 2019.

“However, some of the Committee’s recommendations have not been included in this draft, and these include the power to sanction misbehaving councillors, as this requires primary legislation and therefore could not be included within a ‘code’.

“There is a new section clarifying councillors’ actions via social media, standards of expected behaviour with examples including: treating people with respect, not bullying, harassing or unlawfully discriminating.

“Councillors have a duty to promote quality, impartiality, and must adhere to certain requirements on confidentiality and access to information.

“There is a section specifically detailing compliance with the code, including participating in training, registration of interests and disclosure of gifts and hospitality.

“The majority of these provisions on behaviour are not currently to be found in the Peterborough City Council Code of Conduct.

“As a non-statutory code, the council may adopt the new code in whole, or in part.

“The report highlights that there are three areas where this council currently does not meet the expected standards of the Committee on Standards in Public Life.

“These are: the provision of a code that precludes bullying and harassment; the provision of a code that requires councillors to comply with the findings of a formal investigation; and, a code that is reviewed every year.”

Cllr Ed Murphy said: “I think we should comply with those last three recommendations where this council currently comes up short.

“I’m also pleased to see that councillors must now report gifts and hospitality as little as £50, which is a reduction from the current code of £100.”

Prior to the publication of the new draft code, councils have followed a code of conduct adopted as part of the Localism Act 2011.

This contained the Nolan Principles on Standards in Public Life (1995), requiring a prescribed complaints process and sanctions as prescribed in law.