Revised transparency code for local government in England in force next month

A revised Local Government Transparency Code is to come into force in England next month, the Department for Communities and Local Government has announced.

The DCLG also said that it would become a legal requirement for councils “to help taxpayers scrutinise their work”.

“This open data push will ensure information published by councils in the name of local transparency and accountability is made even more accessible,” it added.

The Code, which can be viewed here, sets out information which must be published as well as information that is recommended for publication. It also provides details of the frequency of publication.

According to the Department, the Code will require councils to publish details of contracts and all land and building assets “they are sitting on” as well as subsidies given to trade unions including so-called ‘facility time’.

Local Government Minister Kris Hopkins said: “Greater power for local government must go hand in hand with greater local transparency and local accountability. Therefore it is only right we give council tax payers the data they deserve to play a bigger role in local democracy.

“This new wave of town hall transparency will empower armchair auditors right across the land to expose municipal waste and ensure councils are making the sensible savings necessary to freeze council tax and protect frontline services.

“For instance, opening up parking profits to the eyes of local democracy will protect residents from the risk of being treated as cash cows by trigger-happy town hall traffic wardens and expose councils using parking policies in an unlawful way.”

In response Cllr Peter Fleming, Chair of the Local Government Association’s Improvement and Innovation Board, warned that bringing forward the deadline for publishing the required information would only add strain and burden to local authorities faced with major cuts to their funding.

“Councils now need a firm commitment that they will receive adequate funding to cover these new expectations,” he demanded.

Cllr Fleming insisted that the sector was already the most open and transparent part of the public sector.

Councils already published information on budgets and revenues, performance, salaries, assets and annual parking reports, he pointed out. “This allows residents to democratically hold them to account and helps drive innovation and efficiencies.”

Cllr Fleming added that the LGA had recently launched its LG Inform online public tool, which is designed to make it easier for councils to generate and publish reports about how their services are performing.