The Camden Council Standards Committee met on 7 July 2025, and appointed Councillor Judy Dixey as Vice-Chair for the 2025/26 municipal year. The committee also discussed the annual monitoring of code of conduct complaints, a government consultation on standards and conduct, and recent updates on standards matters, noting all reports presented.

Government Consultation on the Standards and Conduct Framework

The committee considered a report regarding the government's consultation on strengthening the standards and conduct framework for local authorities in England. The consultation, launched in December 2024, sought feedback on proposals to:

• Legislate for a mandatory minimum code of conduct.
• Require local authorities to maintain a Standards Committee, potentially chaired by an Independent Person, with Independent Persons given voting rights.
• Require publication of a summary of code of conduct breach allegations and investigation outcomes.
• Require the completion of investigations where a member stands down.
• Introduce stronger sanctions for serious breaches of the code of conduct, including the power to suspend elected members, withhold allowances, ban suspended councillors from premises and facilities, and disqualification where suspensions are invoked more than once within a five-year period.
• Introduce a right of appeal, including to a national appeals body.

The consultation also sought feedback on how to empower victims of, or witnesses to, councillor misconduct.

Councillor Sharon Hardwick, Chair of Standards Committee noted that there was support for the proposal of an Independent Chair for Standards Committee, but the Borough Solicitor, Andrew Maughan, explained that it would not be lawful at present, as Independent Persons were non-voting members of the Committee.

Annual Monitoring of Code of Conduct Complaints Against Members

The committee reviewed the annual monitoring report on Code of Conduct complaints against members for the period between 1 July 2024 and the end of May 2025. During this time, 11 complaints were received, a figure consistent with previous years. The report highlighted that none of the complaints required a formal investigation, as the behaviour described would not have constituted a breach of the Code of Conduct.

The most significant trend among the complaints received was an alleged failure to act on issues raised and/or to engage in correspondence. The Borough Solicitor stressed the importance of responding to correspondence, and suggested that committee members raise this with Groups. The Borough Solicitor clarified that councillors are not immediately advised of complaints, and explained the process for considering complaints and determining whether an investigation is warranted.

Update on Standards Matters

The committee discussed a report updating them on recent standards news items. Andrew Maughan, Borough Solicitor, highlighted a case at another council where a councillor had been found to have breached the Code of Conduct and Planning Code by emailing a fellow Planning Committee member during a meeting that he was absent from. The Standards Committee were told that Camden's Planning Committee had been emailed about the case to advise about the potential for perceived influence or pressure via electronic communications during meetings, and it was suggested that committee members discuss this in groups.

The report also referred to the Nolan Principles¹ and a report published by the Committee on Standards in Public Life (CSPL) titled Recognising and Responding to Early Warning Signs in Public Sector Bodies.

Standards Information and Guidance Record

The committee considered the record of standards information and guidance issued to members of the council. It was noted that any policies that had not been reviewed by committee recently would be scheduled for consideration at a future meeting, given the importance of regularly reviewing policies. There was also a discussion about declarations of interest, with it being explained that while all relevant interests should be declared, the level of participation depended on how much it affected the councillor as an individual, and that all councillors had a dispensation to participate in setting of council tenancy rents.