Islington Council's Standards Committee convened on 26 June 2025 to review its Member Code of Conduct, addressing updates and conduct issues. The discussion included the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG)'s consultation on strengthening sanctions for breaches of the Code of Conduct.
The MHCLG consultation, which ran from December 2024 to February 2025, explored introducing a mandatory minimum code of conduct for local authorities. Key proposals included harsher sanctions for councillor misconduct, strengthened accountability mechanisms, enhanced support for ethical behaviour, and improved transparency of councillor conduct. The council's current Code of Conduct aligns with the Local Government Association's Model Code Councillor Code of Conduct 2020. Members await the MHCLG's analysis of the consultation feedback, after which proposals for updating the council's code may be considered.
Following a corporate peer challenge in February 2025, an action plan will go to the Executive in July 2025, potentially including a review of the Protocol on Member/Officer Relations. The Member Learning and Development Steering Group suggested updating the Code of Conduct to ensure councillors attend mandatory training. The proposed addition to the Code of Conduct states: As a councillor, I undertake all mandatory training as specified in the Member Training Programme unless a specific dispensation for the training has been granted by the Monitoring Officer.
The committee, including Councillor Nurullah Turan, Councillor Troy Gallagher (Small Business, Co-ops & Social Enterprise Champion), Councillor Satnam Gill OBE, Councillor Ruth Hayes (Chair of Environment, Climate Change and Transport Scrutiny Committee), Yemi Mustapha, and Rachael Tiffen, also reviewed minutes from the previous meeting on 21 November 2024, which covered pecuniary interest declarations and arrangements for dealing with Standards Allegations. A review of the Arrangements for Dealing with Member Code of Conduct Complaints may follow later in the year. Read the full report here.