The Standards Committee

The main role of the Standards Committee is to promote and maintain high standards of conduct amongst 37 members of the District Council and approximately 250 members of Town and Parish Councils in the District.

The Standards Committee is currently responsible for the following main activities:

• Promoting and maintaining high standards of conduct by District Councillors, Town and Parish Councillors and co-opted members
• Ensuring members are trained to carry out their duties effectively
• Advising on the Members' Code of Conduct and protocols
• Monitoring the operation of the Code of Conduct
• Dealing with Complaints about the conduct of Members
• Monitoring performance and making returns to Standards for England
• Overview of Council complaints
• Ethical Governance
• Dealing with dispensations
• Oversight of the Council's Constitution
• Oversight of the Council's Fraud Strategy
• Overview of the Council's Whistle-blowing Policy

The Standards Committee is responsible for receiving all complaints about alleged breaches of the Code of Conduct made against members of Harborough District Council and Town and Parish Councillors within the Harborough District.  There is an initial assessment stage when a Standards Assessment Sub-Committee made up from members of the Standards Committee meets to consider whether the complaint relates to a local member, if it discloses a potential breach of the Code of Conduct and if it does, whether it ought to be investigated or dealt with by other means such as mediation or training.  Some decisions can be appealed by the complainant and if an appeal is made, this will be considered by the Standards Review Sub- Committee made up from different members of the Committee.

If a complaint has been investigated and a breach of the Code of Conduct is disclosed then the Standards Hearings Sub- Committee will meet to hear evidence and representations and to determine if there has been a breach of the Code of Conduct and if so what sanctions are appropriate.