Solace commission sets out blueprint for tackling poor standards in local government

Launching the report on Wednesday (22 October), the professional body for local government officers said that, while reform of the local government standards regime is essential, lasting change in local government “will only come through wider action on leadership, culture, governance, accountability and member-officer relationships”.

The report, Enough is Enough: A Blueprint for Rebuilding Standards in Local Government, was produced by Solace's Commission on Professional Standards and Ethics following a year of meetings and evidence gathering.

It delves into how poor standards are manifesting and why, while also detailing recommendations for councillors and officers on improving behaviour in their respective authorities.

The report also includes tools for senior officers to help assess their own organisation’s culture and governance, including a 'Leadership Wellbeing & Resilience Audit' aimed at helping senior officers assess whether standards-related pressures are becoming personally and/or organisationally unsustainable.

The commission considered evidence from a range of stakeholders alongside the findings of a Solace survey published in June, which found that – among other things – 92% of chief executives and senior officers had experienced poor standards or inappropriate behaviour in the previous three years.

According to the commission, poor behaviour ranged from persistent low-level disrespect and poor communication to bullying, intimidation, harassment and threats.

While councillors were identified as the primary source of standards-related issues, the commission also heard significant evidence of abuse and intimidation directed at officers by members of the public.

It warned that statutory protections for officers facing such behaviour were limited.

The report also examined the wider consequences of poor standards, including their impact on staff wellbeing, recruitment and retention, and the ability of councils to deliver services effectively.

It highlighted the disproportionate impact of unacceptable behaviour on women and people from minoritised groups.

The commission called on the Government to work with the sector to introduce a strengthened standards regime for local government in England, supported by sustainable long-term funding and a nationally prescribed code of conduct applying to all councils, including town and parish councils.

It also recommended a comprehensive review of statutory governance roles and the support available to officers carrying out those functions.

However, the report stressed that councils should not wait for legislative reform before taking action, and set out ways in which officers can work towards boosting standards.

Among its recommendations, it called for senior managers and statutory officers to complete mandatory governance and standards training within three months of their appointment, followed by refresher training at least every three years.

Senior management should also help develop future leaders by providing team members with early exposure to member-officer relations, governance and standards issues via regular shared learning and shadowing opportunities, it recommended.

Annual reviews of organisational culture and standards risks should also be carried out, and officers should make greater use of mediation and informal dispute resolution to prevent disagreements escalating into formal complaints, the report said.

Councillors meanwhile should complete standards and code of conduct training within three months of being elected, with refresher training during each council term. Those subject to upheld complaints should be required to undertake targeted behavioural improvement or mediation programmes, it recommended.

The commission also called on Solace to establish a Chief Executive Civility Lead to champion respectful conduct across the sector, alongside improved training, practical guidance and peer support for senior officers facing standards-related challenges.

Further recommendations included the development of national guidance for police forces on responding to standards and conduct issues involving councillors and officers, the appointment of named police liaison officers for every local authority, and improved collection of data on abuse, harassment and intimidation.

Kath O’Dwyer, Chair of the Commission on Professional Standards and Ethics, said: “It cannot be right that local government is the only part of the public sector with no meaningful standards system.

“However, this report is not simply a call for an effective standards regime with teeth, although the need for meaningful reform is clear. It is equally a call to strengthen organisational culture, reinforce ethical leadership and ensure that every council is equipped to create environments where people are treated with dignity, respect and professionalism."

She added: “Formal standards processes have an important role to play, but legislation alone cannot create organisational excellence. Lasting positive change depends upon leadership, accountability and a shared commitment to the values that underpin public service.”

Solace president Robin Tuddenham, a member of the Solace Commission on Professional Standards and Ethics, said: "It is plain to see that without robust legislative reform, local government will still be left without the full suite of tools it needs to tackle poor behaviour.

“But, in the meantime, there are still many meaningful steps to be taken. Contributors told the Commission about the power of the individual – the impact each person can have on the culture of an organisation and on others.”

Earlier this month the Ethics and Integrity Commission urged the Government to accelerate local government standards reform in its first annual letter to the Prime Minister reporting on the health of standards in public life.

Adam Carey

Solace commission sets out blueprint for tackling poor standards in local government

Jobs

Senior Legal Adviser (General Counsel Advice)

Directory

Events