Standards reforms to come “as soon as parliamentary time allows”, minister insists

The comments were made by the Lords Minister for Housing and Local Government during a House of Lords debate on councillor wellbeing on Thursday (4 June).

Following a consultation last year, the Government committed to introducing a mandatory code of conduct for councillors, requiring all principal authorities to establish formal standards committees, and creating new powers to suspend elected members for up to six months for serious breaches of the code of conduct, among other measures.

However, concerns have recently been raised by the sector after the proposed reforms were omitted from the King's Speech earlier this year.

Responding to those concerns, Baroness Taylor told peers that the reforms remain on the Government's agenda.

"In my brief I have the civil servant phrase, 'as soon as parliamentary time allows', but please be assured, colleagues, that I understand the importance of this and will be championing it to get it as soon as possible," she said.

The debate also touched on the increasing levels of abuse experienced by councillors and council officers.

Baroness Taylor said abuse and intimidation of local councillors, whether online or in person, were "totally unacceptable".

She highlighted a number of Government initiatives aimed at tackling abuse, including Operation Ford, which established dedicated elected official advisers in every police force to provide security briefings and work with local authorities to co-ordinate support where heightened risks are identified.

"For democracy to thrive, we need to make sure that we attract the widest range of people to seek to serve their communities," she said.

Baroness Taylor also noted plans to change the law so that people convicted of intimidating or abusing electoral staff can be disqualified from seeking or holding elected office.

She meanwhile said the Government's forthcoming Representation of the People Bill would introduce tougher sentences for those who abuse candidates, campaigners, elected representatives and electoral staff.

"In addition, we will remove the requirement for election agents, including candidates acting as their own agents, to have home addresses published on the notice of election agents," she added.

Addressing concerns raised during the debate about protecting free speech, Baroness Taylor said the measures being pursued by the Government applied "only to criminal intimidation or harassment, not to legitimate disagreement, protest or campaigning".

Adam Carey