Agenda item

(Charles Edward Lord, O.B.E., J.P.)

Amendments to the Members’ Code of Conduct – Disclosable Interests and the Mandatory Registration of Gifts and Hospitality

In accordance with our terms of reference, the Standards Committee is required to prepare, keep under review and monitor the City of London Corporation’s Members’ Code of Conduct and make recommendations to the Court of Common Council in respect of the adoption or revision, as appropriate, of such Code of Conduct.

This was considered initially by the Court on 24^th July 2014 and Members felt that some further work should be undertaken and the matter brought back to the Court for consideration. In reaching its decision about a revised Members’ Code of Conduct, this Committee has consulted widely with all Members of the Court of Common Council; taken into account the previous Standards regime, whereby Members were expected to register a more substantial list of membership bodies; and reflected on practice across local authorities.

A printed and circulated report has therefore been submitted for your consideration and we commend its recommendations to revise the Members’ Code of Conduct and to introduce a mandatory registration regime for gifts and hospitality, as of 1^st January 2015.

6 October 2014

Amendments to the Members’ Code of Conduct – Disclosable Interests and the Mandatory Registration of Gifts and Hospitality

In accordance with our terms of reference, the Standards Committee is required to prepare, keep under review and monitor the City of London Corporation’s Members’ Code of Conduct and make recommendations to the Court of Common Council in respect of the adoption or revision, as appropriate, of such Code of Conduct.

This was considered initially by the Court on 24^th July 2014 and Members felt that some further work should be undertaken and the matter brought back to the Court for consideration. In reaching its decision about a revised Members’ Code of Conduct, this Committee has consulted widely with all Members of the Court of Common Council; taken into account the previous Standards regime, whereby Members were expected to register a more substantial list of membership bodies; and reflected on practice across local authorities.

A printed and circulated report has therefore been submitted for your consideration and we commend its recommendations to revise the Members’ Code of Conduct and to introduce a mandatory registration regime for gifts and hospitality, as of 1^st January 2015.

Read.

Following an introduction from the Chairman, a number of amendments were proposed:

Motion – To delete paragraph 7(e) of the report, thereby changing paragraph 7(f) to 7(e), and inserting the words “except political parties” in parentheses at the end of this new paragraph 7(e), so that revised paragraph 7 read:

7.    In any event you are required to disclose your membership of any:

(a) Management board or similar organ of any charity or body directed to a charitable purpose (e.g. a trustee or director) but excluding any charity or other such body administered by the Corporation

(b) Club or Society active in the City of London or which relates to any functions of the Corporation

(c) Fraternal or Sororal Societies

(d) Livery Company, City Company without Livery, Guild or Company seeking Livery

(e) Organisation, one of whose principal purposes includes the influence of public opinion or policy, and which is likely to seek to affect the policy of the Corporation or which may have an impact on its services or stakeholders (except political parties).

Upon the question being put, the Lord Mayor declared the amendment not to be carried.

Motion – The deletion of the word “might” from paragraph 1(b) of the report, so that the clause read:

1.b)      INTEGRITY: Holders of public office should not place themselves under a financial or other obligation to outside individuals or organisations that seek to influence them in the performance of their official duties. NB - This Principle applies only to conduct by a Member in their capacity as a Member which may foreseeably lead to the Member being subjected to inappropriate influence in the performance of their duties.  It does not apply to contracts of employment, service or other formal and informal business relationships entered into by Members in their private capacities and which are dealt with by the rules on disclosable pecuniary and non-pecuniary interests.

Upon the question being put, the Lord Mayor declared the amendment not to be carried.

Read and agreed.