In my capacity as Chair of the Standards and General Purposes Committee, I presented an amendment to Full Council that will require councillors to declare, within the register of interests, any allowances or fees received from outside bodies to which they have been appointed by virtue of their membership of the council. This amendment will bring that information into a single, publicly accessible location on the council’s website.
I believe this increase in transparency will highlight that most councillors undertake their roles without any additional remuneration, and that relatively few positions carry higher allowances, most of which are modest. It reinforces the fact that the majority of members serve out of a sense of public duty rather than financial reward.
I note that the Government is also considering introducing a mandatory national code of conduct, which may supersede this amendment. However, with no fixed timetable or clear requirements, the position remains uncertain. The committee took the view, rightly, that we should act now rather than wait. I am pleased that this amendment was passed and hope it demonstrates our commitment to transparency in local government.
