The Standards Committee of Newham Council met on Wednesday 17 June 2026 to discuss the ongoing Member Induction and Development Programme, the proposed work programme for the upcoming municipal year, and the annual report. The meeting also included a review of the Standards Committee's work programme and the annual report for submission to Full Council.

Member Induction and Development Programme 2026/27 Update

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on the 2026/27 Member Induction and Development Programme. The report detailed progress against performance indicators, noting a high level of engagement and positive feedback from members. The programme had seen a significant improvement compared to the previous year, with members demonstrating a renewed commitment to training and development. However, the report also highlighted that attendance at mandatory sessions was still below the target of 90%, and the committee was asked to consider ways to encourage greater participation. Recommendations included agreeing on approaches to address non-attendance and non-engagement with the programme, and a specific approach for statutory training sessions. The report noted that the induction evening on 14th May had achieved 90% attendance, and provided a detailed breakdown of attendance at various mandatory training sessions, including Member Enquiries, Using Modern.Gov, and Data Protection. It also outlined attendance figures for statutory training required for specific committees, such as the Audit and Governance Committee and the Overview and Scrutiny Committee. The report also mentioned supplementary training opportunities provided by the Local Government Association (LGA) and confirmed that the programme was progressing within its allocated budget.

Standards Committee Proposed Work Programme 2026/2027

The committee was set to consider the proposed work plan for the 2026/2027 municipal year. Traditionally, four meetings were scheduled annually, but due to the anticipated workload, five meetings were planned for the upcoming year. The proposed meeting dates were 17th June 2026, 2nd September 2026, 2nd December 2026, 3rd March 2027, and 5th May 2027. The work plan included standing items such as updates on complaints and reports of dispensations granted by the Monitoring Officer, as well as ongoing items like Member Induction and Development updates. Other topics scheduled for consideration included the Code of Conduct, a review of the Register of Interests, and a review of the Gifts and Hospitality Register. The annual report to the Annual Meeting of Council was also listed.

Annual Report of the Standards Committee

The committee was scheduled to review and approve the draft Annual Report of the Standards Committee for submission to Full Council in July 2026. This report was intended to provide an overview of the committee's work during the previous municipal year and outline its future priorities. The draft report was to include details on the committee's role, membership, meeting dates, statistics on Code of Conduct complaints, the standards framework, and legal developments. It was also to highlight the future work of the committee for the 2026/2027 municipal year. The report detailed the committee's responsibilities, including promoting high standards of conduct, receiving and considering complaints, and advising on the Council's Code of Conduct. It also outlined the committee's membership structure, which included both councillors and independent members, and detailed the process for appointing Independent Persons. The report referenced the LGA's Member Development Charter, noting that the 2026/27 Member Induction and Development Plan was progressing to meet its requirements by Spring 2027. The report also included statistics on member attendance at development sessions and statutory training, as well as an overview of legal developments concerning the standards and conduct framework for local authorities.

The report also touched upon the government's consultation on Strengthening the standards and conduct framework for local authorities in England, noting that while legislative reform was not immediately forthcoming, the policy intent remained. Furthermore, the report discussed the government's consideration of remote attendance and proxy voting at local authority meetings, with plans to legislate to support permanent provision when parliamentary time allowed. The committee's previous considerations were also noted, including discussions on the composition of the Standards Committee, the role of the committee in supporting ethical culture, and the outcomes of government consultations on remote attendance and proxy voting. Statistics on code of conduct complaints received during the municipal year were also presented, detailing the number and nature of complaints and their outcomes. The report also mentioned that benchmarking on complaints against other boroughs with elected mayors was to be brought to a future meeting.