Transparency & Openness

Parliament abolished the Standards Board regime and all the rules under it. It has done this because that centrally imposed, bureaucratic regime had become a vehicle for petty, malicious and politically-motivated complaints against councillors. Rather than creating a culture of trust and openness between councillors and those they represent, it was damaging, without justification, the public’s confidence in local democratic governance.

The new standards arrangements that Parliament has put in place mean that it is largely for councils themselves to decide their own local rules. It is essential that there is confidence that councillors everywhere are putting the public interest first and are not benefiting their own financial affairs from being a councillor. Accordingly, within the new standards arrangements there are national rules about councillors’ interests. 2

Such rules, in one form or another, have existed for decades. The new rules are similar to the rules that were in place prior to the Standards Board regime. Those rules, originating in the Local Government Act 1972 and the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, involved local authority members registering their pecuniary interests in a publicly available register, and disclosing their interests and withdrawing from meetings in certain circumstances. Failure to comply with those rules was in certain circumstances a criminal offence, as is failure to comply in certain circumstances with the new rules.

1. The Guide should not be taken as providing any definitive interpretation of the statutory requirements; those wishing to address such issues should seek their own legal advice.
2. The national rules are in Chapter 7 of the Localism Act 2011 and in the secondary legislation made under the Act, particularly in The Relevant Authorities (Disclosable Pecuniary Interests) Regulations 2012 (S.I.2012/1464).

Having considered the guidance of the Local Government Transparency Code (2014) in the context of this parish, Council has decided to publish the following information on an annual basis:

– Expenditure: individual items of expenditure exceeding £500; cumulative payments to single payees exceeding £500; and grants to voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations; click here 

– Details of land and buildings assets held by the Council.  Current Asset Register – click here 

Slaugham Parish Council Code Of Conduct  ADOPTED  2nd March 2023  

Each councillor must register their interests as soon as they take up office, and they are obliged by law to keep their statutory register up to date and to inform the council’s Monitoring Officer of any changes within 28 days of the change occurring.

The register of interests contains details of:

• any employment or business carried out by the councillor
• the name of their employer
• details of any directorships
• contracts between themselves/their firm and the council
• any interests in land/property in the area
• affiliation to any other public bodies

The register of interests of all councillors are a public record and must be available online for members of the public to view. These rules apply to district councillors and all parish and town councillors (except in parish areas which do not have their own parish council, known as parish meetings).

To view Registers of Interest (ROI) for each current standing Councillor, please click on their name to view information.  

Councillors Slaugham Parish Council  

Please view our "Statutory Documents" page for additional information and documents