The Civility and Respect Project team has revised the Local Government Association (LGA) Code of Conduct supporting guidance to better reflect the sector's needs.
The LGA produced a revised code of conduct in December 2020, supported by a guidance document they first circulated in July 2021. The supporting guidance was a beneficial document but not tailored to the nuances of local (parish and town) councils. The project team has worked with Hoey Ainscough Associates Ltd, with the support of the LGA, to revise the guidance to precisely reflect the needs of and situations relevant to local councils.
The guidance covers the following:
- The general principles of councillor conduct
- Application of the model councillors' code of conduct
General obligations under the code include:
- Respect
- Bullying
- Harassment
- Discrimination
- Impartiality
- Misuse of position
Protecting the reputation of the council, including:
- Declarations of interest
- Bias and pre-determination
The guidance has been approved by the National Association of Local Councils (NALC) and the Society of Local Council Clerks (SLCC) and endorsed by LGA.