02-26-2025, 07:46 PM
The Liberal Party wishes to state that it’s total opposition to the re-introduction of Standards Boards in local government.
These boards were abolished in 2010 after whelming opposition, due to them being abused by council’s senior officers to shut down and harass councillors who questioned their conduct and performance. They were also used by ruling parties to harass and denigrate opposition figures in a discriminatory way.
The boards undermined the rights and duty of voters to determine their elected members, with cases often brought to silence councillors raising the legitimate concerns of residents, challenging the abuse of powers or whistleblowing against corruption.
Prior to their disbandment Andrew Stunell MP claimed that the scheme costed £7.8 million but dealt with only 1,000 real complaints in its last year, which equated to £7,800 per complaint.
The Standards Board was abolished after years of wasted money and there return at a time of budget cuts and threats to services would be an inappropriate use of taxpayer’s monies, when all councils are already required to adopt a code of conduct which is consistent with the seven Nolan Principles of public life.
These boards were abolished in 2010 after whelming opposition, due to them being abused by council’s senior officers to shut down and harass councillors who questioned their conduct and performance. They were also used by ruling parties to harass and denigrate opposition figures in a discriminatory way.
The boards undermined the rights and duty of voters to determine their elected members, with cases often brought to silence councillors raising the legitimate concerns of residents, challenging the abuse of powers or whistleblowing against corruption.
Prior to their disbandment Andrew Stunell MP claimed that the scheme costed £7.8 million but dealt with only 1,000 real complaints in its last year, which equated to £7,800 per complaint.
The Standards Board was abolished after years of wasted money and there return at a time of budget cuts and threats to services would be an inappropriate use of taxpayer’s monies, when all councils are already required to adopt a code of conduct which is consistent with the seven Nolan Principles of public life.