Memorandum by Mr Robert Pollard (STA 24)
As Vice Chairman of my local council's standards
panel I have had an interest in the development of policy for
improving councillor standards. There still remains a large gap
between the principle underpinning the policy and the actuality
of it all.
The gap is in many ways due to the lack of local
decision making and the duality of the role of monitoring officer
ie to be a defender and prosecutor of councillors.
The policy needs working on so members have
a greater understanding of when to declare interests and their
responsibility to represent the interests and concerns of their
electorate.
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