Waltham Forest Council is set to review its Councillor Code of Conduct, alongside proposed amendments to the Council Procedure Rules.

The Audit and Governance Committee will consider these changes, which aim to update procedures for public statements and address potential conflicts of interest when councillors act as advocates for their constituents. The meeting is scheduled for 9 October 2025, at Waltham Forest Town Hall.

Proposed changes to the Council Procedure Rules, detailed in Appendix 1 - Amended Council Procedure Rules - Tracked Changes, include:

  • Increasing the time allotted to public statements to 20 minutes.
  • Granting the Mayor discretion to vary the time allowed to each speaker, potentially allowing more speakers to be heard and dedicated time given to key issues.
  • Amending the deadline for requests to make a statement to two working days before the meeting.
  • Requiring a clear summary of the statement as notice. This will ensure that requests can be dealt with fairly, and the Mayor can request the full statement in advance. This could increase public satisfaction by ensuring more statements receive a response at the meeting, as cabinet members will be better prepared.
  • Formalising the Mayor's precedent for prioritising statements.
  • Amending the deadline for questions to the executive to five clear working days before the meeting.

The council has stated that the need to supply a full statement in advance is not mandatory, consideration will be given to those that may find it difficult, and if necessary extra support will be provided (such as telephone calls etc).

A minor update to the Councillor Code of Conduct, detailed in Appendix 2 - Amended Councillors Code of Conduct - Tracked Changes, will also be up for consideration. This update aims to address circumstances where councillors act as advocates for their constituents, adding a paragraph (6A) with the title 'Use of Position – Advocacy'. The proposed wording stated:

Your role as an advocate is likely to generate a conflict between your duties to:

i. The Council and its officers, ii. The service user for whom you are an advocate, and iii. Other ward constituents

In some cases, this may also create an impression of undue influence due to your position within the council. In exceptional circumstances, such as where you may wish to act as an advocate for a family member or if you are a professional advocate, this should be explained and agreed in advance with the Monitoring Officer.

The proposed wording in the Councillor Code of Conduct defines 'exceptional circumstances' as instances where a councillor may wish to advocate for a family member or if they are a professional advocate. Such situations require explanation and advance agreement with the Monitoring Officer.

The Monitoring Officer has statutory responsibility for the implementation of the Code of Conduct, and councillors are encouraged to seek advice from them on any matters that may relate to the Code. The Monitoring Officer also reviews applications for general dispensation.