The Standards Committee of Newham Council is scheduled to meet on Wednesday 17 June 2026 to review its work programme, discuss an update on the Member Induction and Development Programme, and consider its Annual Report. The committee will also receive an update on the Standards Committee's proposed work programme for the upcoming municipal year.

Member Induction and Development Programme Update

The committee is scheduled to receive an update on the 2026/27 Member Induction and Development Programme. The report highlights a strong level of engagement from elected Members, with a notable increase in attendance at training sessions compared to the previous year. The programme has seen high turnout and positive feedback, with Members demonstrating a renewed commitment to training and development. The report notes that the programme is progressing well against its objectives, with a cultural shift apparent in how Members view training. However, areas for improvement remain, particularly in meeting the benchmarks set by the LGA Member Development Charter¹, with attendance at mandatory sessions needing to increase to meet the 90% target. The committee is asked to consider ways to promote and encourage attendance, and to agree an approach for Members who do not attend or engage with development sessions, including a policy for non-attendance at statutory training sessions. The report details attendance figures for mandatory sessions such as Member Enquiries, Using Modern.Gov, and Data Protection, and provides a list of individual Members' attendance records. It also outlines attendance at statutory training for various committees, including Audit and Governance, Chief Officer Appointment, Overview and Scrutiny, Licensing, and Planning Committees. The report also mentions supplementary resources and support from the Local Government Association (LGA), including planned sessions on working with officers, chairing skills, and communications.

Standards Committee Proposed Work Programme 2026/27

The committee is scheduled to consider its proposed work plan for the 2026/2027 municipal year. Traditionally, four meetings are held annually, but due to the anticipated volume of work, five meetings have been scheduled. The proposed meeting dates are 17 June 2026, 2 September 2026, 2 December 2026, 3 March 2027, and 5 May 2027. The work plan includes standing items such as updates on complaints and reports of dispensations granted by the Monitoring Officer, as well as ongoing updates on Member Induction and Development. Other topics scheduled for consideration include the Code of Conduct, a review of the Register of Interests, and a review of the Gifts and Hospitality Register. The committee will also consider its Annual Report to the Annual Meeting of Council.

Annual Report of the Standards Committee

The committee is scheduled to review and approve its Annual Report for submission to Full Council in July 2026. This report will provide an overview of the committee's work during the previous municipal year and outline the issues it will address in the new municipal year. The draft report, presented at a previous meeting, has been revised based on committee feedback. The Annual Report is expected to cover the role of the committee, its membership, meeting dates, topics discussed, statistics on Code of Conduct complaints, the Standards Framework Charter, and legal developments. It will also detail the future work of the committee for the 2026/2027 municipal year. The report will include information on the committee's role in promoting high standards of conduct, receiving and considering complaints, and advising on the Council's Code of Conduct. It will also detail the committee's membership, including independent members and independent persons, and summarise the topics considered at previous meetings, such as the composition of the Standards Committee and the outcome of government consultations on remote attendance and proxy voting.