Wednesday, October 13, 2004

Lord Gnome on standards

The Rotten Boroughs column in this week's Private Eye contains more examples of the work of the Standards Board for England (SBE).
In July Independent councillor Nadene Burton was suspended for five months by the adjudication panel for England, the sentencing arm of the SBE. Her crime was to have been "disrespectful" to officers by claiming in an election newsletter that Hull's housing department could do better in tackling anti-social behaviour on its estates.
The Eye mentions two other cases in Hull where councillors have been threatened with action over remarks they made during council meetings.

It is clear that Labour, as the party that represents the interests of public sector workers, has turned the proper relationship between elected councillors and the staff they employ on its head.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Meanwhile a complaint that I made to The Standards Board for England about a Lib Dem Councillor in Caradon district not declaring an interest under the "double hatted" rule was rejected as "not being worth perusing". So much for maintaining faith in local democracy. Is The Standards Board worth the money we pay for it?!!!