The City of Cardiff Council is hosting a Conference on the 20 October 2015 at City Hall, Cardiff. For those involved in promoting and maintaining high standards of conduct within authorities in Wales, the event provides an opportunity to network and discuss issues of common interest and best practice.
The theme for this year’s conference is “Standards and Ethics in a Changing World”.
The Conference will reflect on whether and if so, how, the Nolan principles, enunciated 20 years ago, remain relevant, in the context of the huge changes and pressures facing public authorities now; and current issues and concerns.
We are very pleased to confirm that this year’s speakers and workshop facilitators are:
- Nick Bennett, Public Services Ombudsman for Wales
Panel Members:-
- Peter Davies, President of the Adjudication Panel for Wales
- Lyn Cadwallader, Chief Executive, One Voice Wales
- Jan Williams, Independent Police Complaints Commissioner for Wales
- Daniel Hurford, Welsh Local Government Association
Background Information - Standards Committees
Standards Committees are part of the ‘ethical framework’ established by the Local Government Act 2000 to regulate the conduct of those working in local government. Each local authority is required by law to establish its own Standards Committee. Standards Committees are given statutory responsibility for ensuring that elected members of councils and community councils within their area observe high standards of conduct, befitting their public office and in line with the principles enshrined in a statutory Members’ Code of Conduct. Those principles include: the promotion of equality and respect for others, accountability and openness, duty to uphold the law, selflessness and stewardship, objectivity and propriety, and integrity.
Committees are composed of a majority of independent members (appointed by a statutory public appointment process), together with elected members from the authority and community council representative/s where appropriate.
The work of Standards Committees may include advising and training on the content and implementation of the Members’ Code of Conduct; raising awareness of standards and ethics issues both within the authority and among the general public; hearing referrals of alleged misconduct by councillors; overseeing whistleblowing procedures; determining applications for dispensations where councillors declare a personal interest in decisions of the council or community council; advising on Council policy development; and considering reports from the Monitoring Officer and the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales.