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Councillors: Conduct

Asked by Kevin HollinrakeConservativeMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled Answered 19 February 2025UIN 30628

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 15 January 2025 to Question 22386 on Local Government: Code of Practice, if she will make it her policy to ensure any mandatory, minimum code includes the free speech protection for councillors introduced by the London Borough of Bromley.

Answered by Jim McMahon

I refer the hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 22386 on 15 January 2025, which noted that the results of the ongoing consultation on a range of proposals to strengthen the local government standards regime, including views on the possible introduction of a mandatory minimum code of conduct for local authorities in England, will help to inform any policy or legislative change.

The Government would likely set out any mandatory code in regulations to allow flexibility to review and amend in future. This would also provide the opportunity for further consultation on the detail.

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