Independent Ethics Panel

What does the Panel do?

The Council is committed to the highest standards of ethical conduct for its elected councillors and officers. As part of this the Council has set up an Independent Ethics Panel.

The Panel helps the Council promote and maintain high standards of conduct by councillors and officers. It gives advice about what should be in the Councillors Code of Conduct and how complaints about members should be handled.

Panel Members are asked to advise whether individual complaints should be investigated, and make recommendations to be taken into account by the Audit and Transparency Committee before it takes a decision on a complaint.

The Panel also has a broader remit to advise the Council on matters relating to ethics and ethical conduct, anticipate ethical challenges and foster good practice.

The Panel meets in private but must produce an annual report of its work.