Standards and Ethics

Standards Committee

These pages are hosted by the Standards Committee of Herefordshire Council

We are appointed by Herefordshire Council, but we reach our decisions entirely independently of the Council; and a majority of our members, including our independent Chair, have no direct connection with the Council.

To read our agendas, minutes and other working papers see the external links box on the right.

Read our Annual Report

Read our comments on the recent consultation by the Department of Communities and Local Government. The consultation was on local assessment. From May 2008 onwards, we will take on the role previously performed by the Standards Board for England, of filtering all local complaints about councillors, and deciding which ones merit further investigation:

• The DCLG Consultation Paper
• Our response
• The DCLG's Summary of all responses received, and its proposed actions

The Role of the Standards Committee

What we do:

• We promote and maintain high standards of conduct by the members (and co-opted members) of Herefordshire Council, and of Town and Parish Councils in the County
• We advise on codes of conduct (and draft and revise them where necessary)
  • the Constitution for Herefordshire Council
  • the Model Code of Conduct for Town and Parish Councils
  • the Planning Code
  • the Protocol on the use of Resources
  • the Protocol on the use of Information Technology
• We train members on conduct issues, and help them to observe codes of conduct. We work closely with the Herefordshire Association of Local Councils (HALC) to assist Town and Parish Councils
  • For more information about HALC's training programme or any aspect of its services, telephone 01432 353492 or email halchereford@btconnect.com
  • A Chairing Checklist: if you don't often chair meetings (and if you do!) you may find this useful
• We consider applications for dispensations where prejudicial interests would prevent a Town or Parish Council from considering a matter. For more information, see the Dispensations page.
• We hold local hearings and determine complaints against councillors which are referred to us by the Standards Board for England, or which come to us after a complaint is referred by the Board for local investigation
  • Our guidance for those attending hearings
  • The Standards Board for England's guidance
  • Decision notices for recent hearings. For more information, see the Hearings page.
• We respond to enquiries from the public on any aspect of our work

Contact the Standards Committee by emailing Heather Donaldson at hdonaldson@herefordshire.gov.uk
Contact the Monitoring Officer, Mr Alan McLaughlin, at amclaughlin@herefordshire.gov.uk