The Standards Committee of Durham County Council met on Friday 12 June 2026 to discuss the committee's annual report, updates on the code of conduct, and the national landscape of standards in local government. The meeting also covered the NALC Civility and Respect campaign and the committee's work programme for the upcoming year.

Annual Report of the Standards Committee

The committee was scheduled to consider its Annual Report for 2025/2026. This report was intended to provide an overview of the committee's work during the past year and outline its future direction for 2026/2027. The report highlighted the committee's commitment to promoting and maintaining high standards of conduct among elected members. It also detailed the progress made in addressing code of conduct issues and referred to training provided to members and the committee's annual work programme. The report recommended that it be noted and presented to Full Council on 15 July 2026.

Code of Conduct Update

A key item on the agenda was an update on complaints received by Durham County Council under the Code of Conduct for Members. The report provided details on complaints that were being assessed and those that had been completed, following the Council's Procedure for Member Code of Conduct Complaints. It was noted that a significant increase in complaints had been observed, with a substantial rise in those against County Councillors compared to the previous year. The report also detailed the time taken to deal with complaints, with average times exceeding the 20-day target, and outlined the associated internal costs.

National Picture

The committee was set to receive an update on national standards issues affecting local government. This included information on the Chair of the government's Ethics and Integrity Commission, Doug Chalmers, who favoured a standards regime with the ability to impose sanctions. The report also covered the repeal of the legal requirement for authorities to publish members' home addresses, effective from 29 June 2026, under the new English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026. Additionally, a case concerning a Leicester City Councillor who was found to have breached the City Council's Code of Conduct by making a comment about a colleague's allowances was scheduled for discussion.

NALC Civility and Respect Campaign

The meeting was to include a report providing an overview of the National Association of Local Councils (NALC) Civility and Respect campaign. This initiative aims to address concerns about bullying, harassment, and intimidation within Town and Parish Councils. The report detailed the Civility and Respect Working Group, which focuses on promoting civility and respect in public life and supporting the well-being of councillors and employees. It also outlined the Civility and Respect Pledge, which Town and Parish Councils can sign to demonstrate their commitment to positive behaviour, and noted that 38 out of 105 councils in County Durham had signed the pledge. The Councillor's Statement of Assurance, an initiative for individual members to demonstrate personal commitment, was also to be discussed.

Committee Work Programme 2026/27

The committee was asked to agree its Work Programme for 2026/27. While there is no legislative requirement for a work programme, it is considered good practice to demonstrate the committee's work in promoting ethical conduct. The proposed programme included standing agenda items such as reviewing the national standards picture, updates on complaints, the Debate Not Hate Campaign, and the Civility and Respect Pledge. It was noted that the review of the Procedure for Member Code of Conduct Complaints would be presented in September 2026, and guidance on interests had been moved to the same meeting.