26 January 2007
Councillors will be allowed to address local meetings on issues in which they have a personal interest, under plans floated this week by Local Government Secretary Ruth Kelly.
Kelly published the Department for Communities and Local Government's draft amended code of conduct for councillors on January 22. It suggests relaxing some of the current restrictions on members talking and voting on issues that directly affect them, such as planning applications.
'Members will be able to speak and vote on issues unless their interests in the matter are greater than those of most other people in the ward,' the draft states.
Kelly said: 'It introduces common-sense changes so that councillors will be better able to speak up for the communities they serve.'
A senior DCLG official told Public Finance that the new system would eradicate 'over-zealous' interpretations of 'personal and prejudicial interests' across some councils. He cited examples where some authorities had tried to prevent members from discussing the installation of mobile phone masts if they had a mobile phone, and where car users could not vote on local park-and-ride proposals.
Prime Minister Tony Blair was this week caught up in the row over the current code, when it emerged that his longstanding agent in his Sedgefield constituency, John Burton – a Labour councillor on Sedgefield Borough Council – faces an inquiry into allegations of bullying and intimidation.
Burton, listed by the council as a 'political assistant' to Blair, is accused of breaching the code by trying to force through a £20m housing development on a greenfield site two miles from the prime minister's home.
Current rules forced Burton to leave a planning meeting prior to the application's discussion – but not before he is alleged to have 'threatened' councillors with deselection over the issue. Burton denies any wrongdoing.
The independent Standards Board for England and Wales, which reviews misconduct charges, confirmed that 'allegations have been referred for investigation'.
Kelly's draft code of conduct forms part of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Bill. The Bill also allows for standards investigations to be carried out locally, easing pressure on the Standards Board.
PFjan2007
