Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee
At its meeting on 5 October 2021 (7th meeting, 2021), the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee considered the Code of Conduct for Councillors (the Code).
The Code was laid on 2 September 2021 and is subject to approval by the Parliament. This means it is for the Committee to recommend to the Parliament whether the Code be approved.
Section 1 of the Ethical Standards in Public Life etc. (Scotland) Act 2000 requires the Scottish Ministers to issue a Code. The Code sets out the standards that all councillors must comply with when carrying out their council duties.
This draft Code of Conduct amends the previous iteration of the Code to make it more user-friendly and bring it up to date.
The Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee considered the Code at its meeting on 21 September 2021, and made no recommendations in relation to this Code.i
The Committee took evidence from the Minister for Social Security and Local Government at its meeting on 5 October. In the course of that evidence session the Committee raised concerns about the clarity of paragraph 24 of Annex A to the Code. Specifically, members felt that the paragraph may lead councillors to believe that they could not be critical of their Council.
The Committee would welcome an assurance from the Scottish Government that training to accompany the Code will make clear that is not the intention of paragraph 23 of Annex A to the code to prohibit councillors from making any criticism of their Council.
Following the evidence sessionii, the Minister for Social Security and Local Government moved motion S6M-01124 in his name—
That the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee recommends that the Code of Conduct for Councillors be approved.
The motion was agreed to without division.
The Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee recommends to the Scottish Parliament that the Code of Conduct for Councillors be approved.