All councils (except parish councils) are responsible for their own standards of conduct and have to set up standards committees.
In North Lincolnshire, the Standards Committee also covers the area's many parish and town councils.
The North Lincolnshire Standards Committee includes six North Lincolnshire councillors, three parish council representatives and three independent members.
The Leader of the Council cannot be a member of the committee.
The committee:
- Advises the council on its code of conduct
- Guides and trains members and monitors the operation of the code of conduct
- Reviews the code of conduct and the council's procedures in the light of any guidance from the Standards Board or any recommendation from adjudication panels
- Determines whether complaints against members of the council or local town or parish councillors should be invesigated
- Considers reports of the Monitoring Officer on complaints relating to alleged breaches of the code of conduct
- Grants dispensation to members from requirements relating to interests set out in the Code of Conduct.
More information
The Standards Board
The Standards Board is an independent national body which monitors the operation of the code of conduct and in some circumstances may investigate compaints referred to it by local standards committees.
The Standards Board will work with local government, giving guidance to councillors and promoting best practice.
More information can be found on the The Standards Board for England web site.
Also as part of the Local Government Act 2000 a new ethical framework for members and officers was brought into effect on 19 December 2000.