The Standards Committee of Tewkesbury Borough Council met on Monday 28 September 2026 to discuss the implications of local government reform and to review standards activity over the past year. The committee noted that the proposed local government reorganisation in Gloucestershire has been paused, meaning elections will proceed at Borough and Parish level as planned in May 2027, though future uncertainty remains. The committee also reviewed the annual report on standards activity, which indicated a low level of formal Code of Conduct complaints, with most issues relating to general disagreements rather than breaches of conduct.

Local Government Reform and Standards

The committee considered the ongoing situation regarding local government reform, which has seen proposals for a single unitary authority in Gloucestershire paused. Councillor Philip Workman, Chair of the Standards Committee, explained that while the government had previously indicated a move towards unitary councils, this process has now been halted. This means that elections will proceed at both Borough and Parish levels in Tewkesbury Borough on 6 May 2027, although the long-term structure of local government remains uncertain.

The Monitoring Officer provided an update, stating that unofficial communications from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government suggest that councils wishing to proceed with becoming unitary authorities will be facilitated, citing Surrey as an example where this has occurred. This approach is seen as a more localised input compared to previous top-down directives.

Regarding the standards regime, the report indicated that there is currently no intention to progress changes to the Code of Conduct that were discussed in the previous year. The existing framework, largely based on the Localism Act 2011, remains in place with no specific penalties, although this could change in the future. The Monitoring Officer confirmed that work on preparing for potential new authorities has been paused due to the uncertainty surrounding the reform process. However, some ongoing work, such as sharing best practices for functions like licensing, continues.

Concerns were raised about the potential risks associated with setting up a new council, including the breakdown of relationships across the county. While it was noted that there haven't been significant fallouts across Gloucestershire, there have been internal disagreements within Gloucester City.

The committee also discussed the implications for the appointment of independent persons. It was confirmed that the roles of independent persons are recommended to be time-limited, and new applications would likely be sought if the committee structure continues.

Annual Report on Standards Activity

The committee reviewed the annual report on standards activity for the period August 2025 to July 2026. The report, presented by the Monitoring Officer, indicated a low level of formal Code of Conduct activity. It was noted that complaints received are often related to disagreements about the actions of parish councils rather than actual breaches of the Code of Conduct.

Specific instances mentioned included a Code of Conduct issue raised against a Borough Member concerning a social media podcast. While it was acknowledged that the podcast touched upon political matters, no formal breach of the Code of Conduct was identified. At Gotherington Parish Council, internal and public concerns were raised, but no potential Code of Conduct issues were found, although the granting of a dispensation by the Clerk was noted as controversial. Woodmancote Parish Council has an ongoing property issue, but no Code of Conduct breaches have been identified.

The report also highlighted audit and governance issues at Tewkesbury Town Council and Innsworth Parish Council. Further work by auditors may reveal potential Code of Conduct issues at Tewkesbury Town Council. The report concluded by noting that individuals seeking to improve governance at Parish Councils will have opportunities to stand for election in May 2027.

The Monitoring Officer confirmed that regular contact is maintained with Parish Clerks to identify and mitigate potential issues early on. The report emphasised the importance of maintaining high standards to ensure public confidence in democratic processes.