The Croydon Ethics Committee met on Wednesday, 11 March 2026, to discuss various matters of probity and ethical conduct. Key decisions included the recommendation for the reappointment of Ashok Kumar as an Independent Person for a further two-year term and the noting of gifts and hospitality declarations made by councillors. The committee also reviewed reports on ethics complaints received in 2025 and the fourth quarter of 2025, as well as recent developments in ethical standards at the local government level.

Re-appointment of Ashok Kumar as Independent Person

The committee recommended to Full Council the reappointment of Ashok Kumar as an Independent Person for a further two-year term, commencing on 14 May 2026. This reappointment is crucial for ensuring the council has sufficient experienced independent persons to fulfil its statutory duties under the Localism Act 2011, which mandates the promotion and maintenance of high standards of conduct by Members. Mr. Kumar has been an active and diligent attendee of committee meetings.

Members' Gifts and Hospitality

The committee noted the requirements for councillors to declare gifts and hospitality received, as outlined in the Members' Code of Conduct. Councillors are obliged to register any gift or hospitality with an estimated value of at least £50, or multiple items from a single donor totalling £50 or more within a twelve-month period. The report detailed declarations made by councillors between 5 November 2025 and 3 March 2026. Notable declarations included an invitation-only dinner and drinks in the House of Lords for Councillor Jeet Bains, valued at £150, and tickets to the Children's Christmas Ball for Councillor Janet Campbell, valued at £70.

Granting of Dispensation

The committee was informed about a dispensation granted by the Monitoring Officer to all members for the consideration of the Croydon Budget 2026-27 and the Members' Scheme of Allowances 2026-27 at the Budget Council meeting on 25 February 2026. This dispensation was necessary because a significant number of councillors had disclosable pecuniary interests, primarily due to being council taxpayers and recipients of allowances, which would have otherwise prevented them from participating in the discussions and votes. The dispensation was granted under the criteria that so many Members of the decision-making body have DPIs, other registerable interests (ORIs) or non-registerable interests (NRIs) in a matter that it would impede the transaction of the business.

Annual Report on Ethics Complaints for 2025

The committee received the annual report on ethics complaints for 2025. A total of 17 complaints were received, which is an increase from the two complaints in 2024 but comparable to the 14 received in 2023. This figure remains significantly lower than the 43 complaints received in 2022. Of the 17 complaints, three were withdrawn, and six were not pursued due to a lack of further information provided by the complainants after requests were made. Three complaints proceeded to an initial assessment, resulting in no further action. The nature of these complaints primarily related to councillors not responding to correspondence in a timely manner or social media posts deemed improper but not a breach of the Code of Conduct. The report highlighted that while councillors receive a large volume of correspondence, it is not always feasible to respond to every item, and a failure to do so does not automatically constitute a breach of the Code.

Update on Ethics Complaints Received in the Fourth Quarter of 2025

The committee received an update on ethics complaints received in the fourth quarter of 2025, up to 31 December 2025. During this period, two complaints were received. In one instance, the complainant withdrew the complaint after further information was requested. In the second case, the requested additional information was not provided, preventing an assessment. Both complaints were from members of the public and were unspecified in nature.

Recent Developments in Ethical Standards

The committee received an update on recent developments in ethical standards, including the outcome of the government's consultation on strengthening the standards and conduct framework for local authorities. Key proposals include the introduction of a mandatory code of conduct for all local authorities in England, legislation making it a requirement for principal authorities to have a standards committee, and the provision of a 'right to review' for both complainants and respondents regarding standards committee investigation decisions. The government also proposes to grant authorities the power to suspend elected members for serious breaches of the code of conduct for up to six months, with the option to withhold allowances and institute premises bans.

The report also detailed the outcome of a Tameside Standards Committee investigation into six councillors involved in a WhatsApp group. The investigation concluded that all six councillors had breached Tameside Council's code of conduct due to their participation in the group chat, which included over 40,000 exchanges over several years. The investigator found that the councillors were acting in their official capacity, as some correspondence concerned council business and occurred during council meetings. Serious findings included racist and antisemitic remarks, bullying, and bringing the council into disrepute.

Furthermore, the report highlighted a Home Affairs Committee comment suggesting that councillors should not be members of Safety Advisory Groups (SAGs). This recommendation followed a review of a decision by Birmingham City Council's SAG to exclude fans of Maccabi Tel Aviv from a football fixture, where it was indicated that councillors had a disproportionate opportunity to influence the decision-making process. Croydon's SAG does not include councillor membership.

Finally, the report mentioned advice from Tendring District Council to town and parish councils regarding the responsible use of social media by councillors, emphasizing the importance of adhering to codes of conduct and data protection regulations.

Work Programme

The committee reviewed and agreed to note, consider, and comment on the proposed work programme for future meetings. The upcoming agenda for the meeting on 15 July 2026 includes standing items such as members' dispensations, complaint monitoring, members' gifts and hospitality, and legal and ethics updates. It will also feature amendments to the Member's Code of Conduct and arrangements for dealing with allegations of breaches of the Code.