The Standards Advisory Committee was scheduled to meet to discuss its work programme, ethical framework, and member development programme. The committee was also expected to consider its annual report to the annual meeting of the council.

Here's a breakdown of the topics that were scheduled to be discussed:

Member Development Strategy and Annual Programme

The committee was scheduled to receive a report reviewing the implementation of the 2025-2028 Member Development Strategy and the 2025/26 Annual Programme.

The report pack included the 2025 - 2028 Member Development Strategy, member role descriptions, the 2025/26 Annual Member Development Programme, information on the Casework Buddying and Shadowing Scheme, and house rules for workshops.

The report noted that in the summer of 2024, the Local Government Association (LGA) undertook a review of the London Borough of Newham’s 2022 Induction and Member Development offer, following a recommendation from the council’s 2023 Corporate Peer Challenge report.

The report stated that the council should:

“Enhance the existing Member Development and Induction Programme. The Council should consider establishing a Member Development Working Group which identifies development need. Specific training and support should be commissioned. It is important that dedicated Member Development and training provision is necessarily resourced.”

The report pack also provided information on the Member Development Working Group (MDWG), which was established to oversee the Member Development Strategy.

The report pack outlined key highlights of the Member Development Strategy, including:

• Personal Development Plans
• Casework Buddy and Shadowing scheme
• Member’s Information Portal
• Digital Library
• Level of Training: Basic and Intermediate
• Trainers
• Audio Materials
• Attendance
• House Rules for Workshops
• Purpose and Desired Outcomes
• Feedback and Evaluation
• Key Performance Measures
• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

The 2025/26 Annual Programme included workshops on:

• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
• Safeguarding Adults
• Corporate Plan, Policy Priorities and Performance Monitoring
• Mental Health and Personal Resilience
• Cultural Awareness
• Safety Online, AI, Digital Skills and Communications
• Resident Engagement and Difficult Conversations
• Persuasiveness, Negotiation Skills and Decision-Making
• Governance and Assurance
• Coping with the Rising Cost of Living Crisis – Housing, Food, Fuel

Ethical Framework Update

The Standards Advisory Committee was scheduled to receive a report providing details of declarations of interests made at meetings by the Mayor and Councillors at meetings of the council for the period 29 November 2024 to 11 April 2025. The report also set out gifts and hospitality declared by the Mayor and Councillors for the period 29 November 2024 to 11 April 2025.

The report noted that there had been some declarations of gifts and hospitality declared outside of the timeframe of declaring within 28 days of receipt of the hospitality, due in part to declarations being submitted incorrectly to the Chief Executive’s Office.

The report pack included appendices listing declarations of interests declared at meetings, gifts and hospitality declared, and late declarations of gifts and hospitality.

The declarations of interest declared at meetings included Councillor John Gray declaring a non-pecuniary interest at a Pensions Committee meeting on 11 December 2024, and again on 13 March 2025, by virtue of being a Trade Union Representative and also on the LAPF board. Councillor Madeleine Sarley Pontin declared a non-pecuniary interest at a Strategic Development Committee meeting on 17 December 2024, by virtue of her post as Deputy Cabinet Member for Education, regarding an item on Upton Cross Primary School. Councillor Harvinder Singh Virdee declared a non-pecuniary interest at a Strategic Development Committee meeting on 4 February 2025, by virtue of him being employed by JLL, who undertook the Student Accommodation Demand Study. Councillor Young declared a non-disclosable pecuniary interest at a Cabinet meeting on 3 December 2024, by virtue of the organisation he works for having a Joint Venture with Hill Partnerships.

The declarations of gifts and hospitality included Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz OBE declaring a £420 gift from Ibrahim Dogus, Centre for Turkish Studies, for the British Kebab Awards.

The late declarations of gifts and hospitality included Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz OBE declaring a £120 gift from London Legacy Development Corporation for a Major League Baseball Game in London Stadium on 8 June 2024, a £200 gift from Tick Tock Watch Shop on 12 July 2024, a £260 gift from United Kingdom Athletics for attendance at London Diamond League Athletics on 20 July 2024, a £2555 gift from ABB FIA Formula E Operations Ltd for a Ticket to Change Accelerated Live Sustainability Conference on 21 July 2024, a £55 gift from Bread Street Kitchen for dinner with LendLease on 23 July 2024, and a £90 gift from Killian Hurley, Chairman, Mount Anvil, for basketball in presentation box on 15 November 2024. Councillor James Beckles declared a £100 gift from London Legacy Development Corporation for a farewell dinner for the LLDC’s Planning Decisions Committee on 12 November 2024.

Standards Advisory Committee Annual Report to Annual Meeting of Council

The committee was scheduled to consider and agree the Annual Report of the Standards Advisory Committee, which would be presented to the Annual Council meeting on 22 May 2025. The report provides an overview of the work undertaken by the committee in the previous municipal year and looks ahead to the issues the committee will be dealing with in the new municipal year.

The draft annual report included in the report pack outlined the role of the Standards Advisory Committee, committee membership and meetings, and topics considered at meetings during the 2024-2025 municipal year. It also outlined the future work programme for 2025-2026.

Standards Advisory Committee – Work Programme

The committee was scheduled to note the current work programme for the remainder of the 2024/2025 municipal year.

The indicative annual work programme included an ethical framework update, a member development programme update, a review of the Standards Advisory Committee Terms of Reference and updates to the code of conduct complaints procedure, Standards Advisory Committee training, and the Standards Advisory Committee Proposed Work Programme 2025/2026.

The committee was also scheduled to consider and agree the proposed work programme for the 2025/2026 municipal year.

The indicative annual work programme included ethical framework updates, a review of protocols on member/officer relationships, and social media.

Other Business

The agenda also included:

• Appointment of a Chair for the meeting.
• Declarations of interest.
• Minutes of the last meeting and action log.
• Exclusion of press and public.
• Exempt minutes of the last meeting.
• Update on complaints.
• Date of next meeting.