The Islington Council Standards Committee convened to review member standards and conduct, including a discussion of the annual report on member conduct, training, and handling of complaints. The committee was also scheduled to discuss the government's response to a consultation on strengthening standards for local authorities.

Annual Report on Member Standards and Conduct

The committee was scheduled to review the Annual Report on Member Standards and Conduct, which provides an overview of councillor conduct, training, and complaints received during the 2024-25 municipal year.

The report highlights the importance of councillors demonstrating high standards of conduct to maintain public trust. It also summarises member development activities undertaken during the year, including 23 training/briefing sessions and 5 inductions.

Training sessions covered a range of topics, including:

• Information Governance
• Civil Protection & Community Safety
• The Role of Licensing Committee
• The Role of Planning Committee
• Financial Scrutiny
• Budget Briefing
• Declaration of Interests
• Chairing Skills
• Adult Safeguarding
• Suicide Prevention
• Standards of behaviour as an elected member and member/officer relations
• Housing Operations
• Finance Scrutiny and the Budget
• Audit Committee
• Corporate Parenting

The report also details attendance rates for mandatory, highly recommended, and recommended training sessions. Average attendance at mandatory sessions was 66%, while highly recommended sessions saw an average attendance of 34%.

An annual survey was conducted to gather feedback from councillors on the training and development offered. The feedback was applied when developing the following year's programme.

The report also provides information on financial declarations made by members and complaints received under the Members Code of Conduct. Several complaints were received, including allegations that a committee chair misdirected members and failed to disclose an interest, and allegations of failures to disclose pecuniary interests. All these complaints were closed with no finding of a breach of the Code of Conduct. Another complaint alleged that a councillor used influence inappropriately, but this was resolved informally with an apology from the councillor. A further complaint alleged that a councillor discriminated against a member of the public at a formal meeting, but this was closed with no finding of a breach of the Code of Conduct. Finally, a complaint that a councillor was rude and defensive at a ward meeting was closed after the complainant did not proceed with a formal complaint.

Government Response to Consultation on Strengthening the Standards Framework

The committee was scheduled to discuss the government's response to the consultation on 'Strengthening the Standards and Conduct Framework for Local Authorities in England'. The government intends to introduce new legislation to reform the standards framework in England.

Proposed changes include:

• A mandatory code of conduct, including a behavioural code, for all local authority types and tiers.
• A requirement that all principal authorities convene formal standards committees.
• A requirement that all principal authorities offer individual support during investigations into code of conduct allegations to both the complainant and the councillor subject to the allegation.
• The introduction of a 'right for review' at the authority level for both complainant and the subject elected member.
• Powers for authorities to suspend elected members for a maximum of 6 months for serious code of conduct breaches, with the option to withhold allowances during suspension.
• Powers to suspend elected members on an interim basis for an initial period of 3 months in response to serious allegations involving police investigation.
• A new disqualification criterion for any elected member subject to the maximum period of suspension more than once within 5 years.
• The creation of a new national appeals function.

The government's response to the consultation is set out in full in Appendix - Standards Consultation. The implications for the council's local standards arrangements were scheduled to be considered at a future meeting of the Standards Committee once further detail is available.

Minutes from the Previous Meeting

The minutes of the previous meeting held on 26 June 2025 were included in the report pack¹. The previous meeting included an update on member standards and conduct issues, including discussion of the government's consultation on proposals for strengthening the Member Code of Conduct, the importance of fairness in standards issues, and the LGA Corporate Peer Challenge².