The Rotherham Council Standards and Ethics Committee convened to discuss several key issues, including the appointment of parish council members to the committee and the Local Government Association's (LGA) Debate Not Hate campaign. The committee recommended Councillors Lisa Gibbins, Tony Griffin, and Mark Senior be appointed as co-opted Parish Council members and also agreed to form a working group to assess and improve support systems for councillors facing abuse, as part of the Debate Not Hate campaign.

Debate Not Hate Campaign

The committee addressed the LGA's Debate Not Hate campaign, which aims to combat abuse and intimidation against councillors. The campaign was launched in response to growing concerns about the abuse and intimidation faced by councillors across the UK, with 7 in 10 councillors reporting experiencing abuse or intimidation in the past year and over half being victims of misinformation.

The committee discussed the campaign's objectives:

• Raising public awareness of the role of councillors
• Encouraging healthy and respectful debate
• Improving support for councillors facing abuse
• Lobbying for legislative and policy change
• Empowering councils and councillors to take action
• Building a culture of safety and inclusion in local politics

The committee reviewed the findings of the LGA's latest Debate Not Hate survey, which revealed that 70% of councillors had experienced abuse or intimidation, and over 50% had been targeted by misinformation campaigns. The survey also highlighted that abuse is increasingly online but also occurs in person and through correspondence, leading to mental health strain, reduced civic engagement, and withdrawal from public life.

The committee made the following recommendations:

1. That the committee notes the content of the report.
2. That the committee requests that individual councillors sign up to the public statement referred to in the Debate Not Hate report, and considers whether to recommend to Council the adoption of a Motion in the same terms.
3. That the Committee establish a Working Group to undertake the LGA selfassessment and report back to the Committee with its findings and recommendations.

The LGA is asking that councillors and councils sign up to a Public Statement which says:

"The intimidation and abuse of councillors, in person or otherwise, undermines democracy; it can prevent elected members from representing the communities they serve, deter individuals from standing for election, and undermine public trust in democratic processes.

Seven in 10 councillors reported experiencing abuse and intimidation over the last 12 months and councillors reported feeling that abuse is becoming more common and increasing in severity.

Debating and disagreeing with one another has always been, and will continue to be, a healthy part of democracy. However, the right engagement matters and abuse and intimidation crosses the line into dangerous territory and has no place in politics.

We are calling on local government leaders, the Government and relevant partners, like the police, political parties and social media companies to come together through a government convened working group to produce and implement an action plan that addresses the abuse and intimidation of elected members and candidates and ensures their safety while they fulfil their democratic roles."

The committee decided to establish a working group to systematically work through the LGA self-assessment toolkit and ensure that any possible improvements are implemented. The Debate Not Hate campaign toolkit provides guidance on promoting civility and responding to abuse through publicising involvement with and support for the Debate not Hate campaign.

Appointment of Parish Council Members

The committee considered the appointment of Parish Council Members to the Standards and Ethics Committee following a ballot by the YLCA (Yorkshire Local Council Association).

It was agreed to recommend to the Council the appointment of Councillor Lisa Gibbins (Wales), Councillor Tony Griffin (Whiston) and Councillor Mark Senior (Thrybergh) as co-opted Parish Council members of the Standards and Ethics Committee until the Annual General Meeting of the Council in 2029.

The committee also formally thanked outgoing Parish Council Members Alan Buckley, Richard Swann, and Monica Carroll for their service and contribution to the Standards and Ethics Committee.

Other Business

The committee also discussed the following items:

• Review of Members' Register of Interests: The committee received a verbal update on the current status of Members' Registers of Interest.
• Review of Concerns Raised Pursuant to the Whistleblowing Policy: The committee considered a report regarding concerns raised under the Whistleblowing Policy and the actions taken to address these matters.
• Review of Complaints: The committee reviewed a report updating them on the complaints received against members of the council, and town and parish councillors alleging a breach of the Code of Conduct.