Islington Council has approved a new Code of Corporate Governance, designed to ensure the council operates effectively, honestly, and accountably, providing assurance to residents that good governance is upheld transparently.

The code, which aligns with the seven principles of the CIPFA/SOLACE guidance 'Delivering Good Governance in Local Government', was formally approved at the Audit and Risk Committee's meeting on Thursday, March 19, 2026. The new code sets out the council's governance standards and details how it upholds each of the seven principles.

These principles are:

  1. Behaving with integrity, demonstrating strong commitment to ethical values and respecting the rules of law.
  2. Ensuring openness and comprehensive stakeholder engagement.
  3. Defining outcomes in terms of sustainable economic, social and environmental benefits.
  4. Determining the interventions necessary to optimise the achievement of the intended outcomes.
  5. Developing the council's capacity, including the capability of its leadership and the individuals within it.
  6. Managing risks and performance through robust internal control and strong public financial management.
  7. Implementing good practices in transparency, reporting, and audit, to deliver effective accountability.

Councillor Paul Convery, Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee, expressed concerns about the potential for outsourcing the council's policy framework to private entities. He noted that CIPFA and SOLACE are private limited companies and professional associations membership bodies, questioning why it is that we end up leaning in towards a sort of SOLIS SIPFA frameworks rather than doing this through the local government association. He felt that while the product is fine, the principle of relying on private entities to shape frameworks for local government seemed a little bit risky.

Paul Clarke, Acting Corporate Director of Resources, explained that these organisations distill collective thoughts from a wide array of people for the good of the sector, rather than for commercial gain. The code itself details how the council upholds each of the seven principles.

The effectiveness of the new Code of Corporate Governance will be measured and reported on through the council's Annual Governance Statement (AGS). The AGS provides an overview of how the council's governance arrangements operate and how they are reviewed annually to ensure they remain effective. Key examples of how the council has met the governance commitments set out in the Code are provided within the 'Governance Framework' section of the AGS. The monitoring officer is responsible for ensuring the code is reviewed annually and the outcome reported to the Audit and Risk Committee.

The full Code of Corporate Governance can be found in the LBI Local code of corporate governance 2025-26.