Standards framework set for changes after review

Standards for England is to recommend a number of changes to the local government standards framework, following the results of its recent consultation exercise into the effectiveness of the framework introduced in 2007.

Standards for England's review, published today, found that the new framework was having a positive influence on member behaviour, and that it had gained widespread support from local authorities, although it also said that “in the current political climate”, the public was less convinced.

The recommendations that will be put to the Department for Communities and Local Government include:

• More streamlined local assessment of complaints - arrangements to more easily dismiss trivial and less serious complaints where appropriate, saving on time, money and process
• An enhanced role for independent chairs and vice chairs of local standards committees
• A new power for local standards committees to be able to halt investigations, if they have good reasons
• A commitment to greater transparency- always informing members that they have been the subject of a complaint, unless there are compelling circumstances not to
• The need to develop an approach which allows better management of the costs of operating the framework, working with local authorities to identify and promote ways of ensuring those costs are reasonable.

Standards for England Chair, Dr Robert Chilton said: “The review revealed that the new system has secured a considerable level of consent across local government. However, there are problems - glitches in the system - where the proportionality of the framework, its timeliness, cost-effectiveness and fairness can be improved.

“We believe that these problems can be fixed, and we believe that our recommendations chime with the views of those familiar with the local standards framework in practice, and the review provides government with a clear blueprint for future development”.

A copy of the review Local Standards 2.0 - the proportionality upgrade is available by clicking here.