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Tower Hamlets Council

Asked by Sir James CleverlyConservativeMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled Answered 20 April 2026UIN 124747

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, further to the Written Statement of 17 March 2026, HCWS1410, on Local Government Best Value, what assessment has been made of whether Tower Hamlets council is complying with the Local Government Publicity Code.

Answered by Alison McGovern

Local authorities are required to have regard to the Recommended Code of Practice on Local Authority Publicity when making decisions about publicity. Responsibility for compliance with the Code rests with individual authorities. Where the Secretary of State considers that an authority is not complying with the Code, he has powers under section 4 of the Local Government Act 1986 to issue a direction requiring the authority to comply.

Any concerns regarding compliance should in the first instance be directed to the authority concerned. If the Rt Hon Member has specific concerns about Tower Hamlets Council, he may wish to write to the Department setting out the relevant evidence.

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