Update on the Standards regime

Report: 5
Date: 15 September 2010
By: Monitoring Officer on behalf of the Chief Executive

Summary

This report informs the Committee of the Coalition Government’s proposals in relation to the abolition of Standards for England as well as noting Standards for England’s Review of the Local Standards Framework.

A. Recommendation

That

1. the Committee notes the Coalition Government has committed to abolishing the Standards Board regime, including the letter from Standards for England to Standards Committee Chairs, attached at Appendix 1.
2. the Committee notes comments in this report from the Department for Communities and Local Government regarding the role of local standards committees.
3. the Committee notes Standards for England’s Bulletin 48 attached at Appendix 2
4. the Committee notes Standards for England’s Review of the Local Standards Framework attached at Appendix 3 to this report

B. Supporting information

1. On 20 May 2010, the new Coalition Government published its formal programme for government.

2. The programme includes a wide range of proposed legislative changes, some of which will have a direct impact on the Metropolitan Police Authority and this Committee.

3. The Coalition Government has committed to abolishing Standards for England. This commitment is contained in its programme for government, in response to a parliamentary question, and is expected to be contained in the Decentralisation and Localism Bill.

4. Standards for England sent a letter in June to all Standards Committees, attached at Appendix 1, informing them of the Government’s intention to the abolish the Standards Board regime, and that they will continue to work with us to support our work.

5. The recent Standards for England bulletin (Appendix 2) notes that it expects the Decentralisation and Localism Bill to contain provisions to abolish Standards for England and this is due to be presented in late 2010, with Royal Assent anticipated between July and October 2011. Standards for England anticipate that it will close as an organisation sometime between 31 December 2011 and 31 March 2012.

6. The bulletin lists the work that they will continue to do, which includes producing an updated case review. The Authority no longer has to provide quarterly or annual returns.

7. The Greater London Authority has informed the MPA’s Monitoring Officer that the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has confirmed, informally, that consideration will also be given to the effect that the abolition of the Standards Board would have on the conduct regime and that the role of standards committees within the conduct regime would be reviewed. DCLG has further indicated that, if the Standards Board and model code of conduct were abolished, it considered that there was a sound basis for no longer requiring local authorities’ standards committees to perform a conduct function.

8. Finally, in March 2010, and so before the election of the Coalition Government, Standards for England, the national strategic regulator, completed a review of the existing local standards framework, which is attached at Appendix 3.

9. Standards for England’s Review has 17 Recommendations as to how the regime should be changed. It also sets out what steps need to be taken to bring about that change. A list of these Recommendations is contained at pages 28 – 33 of Appendix 3.

10. Standards for England’s Review has been sent to the Department for Communities and Local Government for consideration, but is likely to be overshadowed by the Coalition Government’s plans to abolish the regime.

C. Other organisational and community implications

Equality and diversity impact

There are no direct equalities issues arising from this report.

MET Forward

There are no direct Met Forward implications arising from this report

Financial implications

There are potential financial implications depending on the Coalition Government’s proposals.

Legal implications

Contained within this report.

Environmental implications

There are no environmental implications

Risk implications

The Coalition Government’s proposals in relation to the abolition of Standards for England would clearly require the Authority to consider options for dealing with conduct matters

D. Background papers

None

E. Contact details

Report author(s): Helen Sargeant, Solicitor and Monitoring Officer, MPA

For more information contact:

MPA general: 020 7202 0202
Media enquiries: 020 7202 0217/18

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