NALC calls for statutory code of conduct for parish and town council employees

The proposal came in its response to the Ethics and Integrity Commission's call for evidence on designing and embedding ethical codes in the public sector.

In its submission NALC stressed its support for the full implementation of the recommendations made by the Committee on Standards in Public Life in its 2019 report on local government ethical standards.

“These reforms remain essential to strengthening public confidence, improving accountability and ensuring robust standards frameworks across the sector,” it said.

In relation to its proposal for a statutory ethical code of conduct for parish and town council employees, NALC noted that community councils in Wales have operated under statutory provisions governing employee conduct since 2001.

This demonstrated that “such an approach is both practical and effective”.

NALC’s response also supports the full implementation of Sections 2.1 and 2.2 of the Green Book, the National Joint Council agreement covering local authority employees.

“These provisions require employees to maintain the highest standards of conduct and provide for local codes setting out the responsibilities and obligations of both employees and employers.”

NALC said it believed that introducing a statutory framework for employee conduct would help ensure greater consistency across the sector, provide clearer expectations for staff and councils, and strengthen public trust in local government.

The association has also renewed its call for the remit of the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman to be extended to parish and town councils.

This would improve accountability, provide residents with access to an independent complaints mechanism and help strengthen confidence in the governance of councils, it suggested.

In November 2025, the Government pledged to introduce a mandatory code of conduct, stronger sanctions (including suspension), and requirements for councils to convene standards committees, among others.

In June this year the Lords Minister for Housing and Local Government, Baroness Taylor, reaffirmed the Government's commitment to overhauling the local government standards and conduct framework "as soon as parliamentary time allows".