{"id":84506,"date":"2017-09-18T10:47:00","date_gmt":"2017-09-18T10:47:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?guid=bae0e67a592c19d2181aac433e83f6c7"},"modified":"2017-09-18T10:47:00","modified_gmt":"2017-09-18T10:47:00","slug":"press-release-new-rules-to-strengthen-standards-for-councillors-and-mayors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?p=84506","title":{"rendered":"Press release: New rules to strengthen standards for councillors and mayors"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Local Government Minister Marcus Jones has today (18 September 2017) set out plans to strengthen rules to prevent anyone found guilty of serious crimes from serving on local councils.<\/p>\n

Under the planned changes to criteria, it would ensure those who represent their communities are held to the highest possible standards.<\/p>\n

Current rules make clear that anyone convicted of an offence carrying a prison sentence of more than 3 months is banned from serving as a local councillor.<\/p>\n

However, Mr Jones said that while this may have prevented criminals from becoming councillors, it does not reflect modern sentencing practices.<\/p>\n

New rules could mean anyone given an Anti Social Behaviour Injunction, a Criminal Behaviour Order or added to the sex offenders\u2019 register, would no longer be able to hold elected office in their communities.<\/p>\n

Local Government Minister Marcus Jones said:<\/p>\n

\n

Councillors hold an important position of trust and authority in communities across England. We need to hold them to the highest possible standards.<\/p>\n

The current rules are letting residents and councils down by not preventing people who should never be considered for such roles from standing for election.<\/p>\n

The changes the government is proposing would help make sure anyone convicted of a serious crime, regardless of whether it comes with a custodial sentence, will not be able to serve as a councillor.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Changes to reflect modern day sentencing<\/h3>\n

Current barriers to becoming a councillor include being employed by the authority, being subject to a bankruptcy order or being convicted of an offence resulting in a prison sentence.<\/p>\n

These restrictions were implemented in 1972, before the sex offenders register or other non-custodial orders existed. The new proposed measures would bring rules much more into the present day by including the alternatives to a prison sentence also becoming a barrier to being a councillor.<\/p>\n

They would apply to councillors and mayors in parish, town, local, county and unitary councils, combined authorities and the Greater London Authority.<\/p>\n

It would mean a ban on standing to be elected or if once elected a councillor was subsequently convicted of a serious offence, that resulted in an Anti Social Behaviour Injunction, a Criminal Behaviour Order or being on the sex offenders\u2019 register, being forced to step down.<\/p>\n

The changes would better reflect rules governing standards of MPs, where members face suspension from the House for anything that contravenes the parliamentary code of conduct.<\/p>\n

Further information<\/h2>\n

The government is now asking councils and communities for their views on the proposed changes. The consultation<\/a> is available until 5pm on 8 December 2017.<\/p>\n

\n
\n

Office address and general enquiries<\/h3>\n
\n

\n2 Marsham Street
\n
\nLondon<\/span>
\nSW1P 4DF<\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n

\n Contact form<\/span>
\n http:\/\/forms.communiti…<\/a>\n <\/p>\n

\n General enquiries: please use this number if you are a member of the public<\/span>
\n 030 3444 0000\n <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n

Media enquiries<\/h3>\n
\n
\n

\n Email<\/span>
\n newsdesk@communities.gsi.gov.uk<\/a>\n <\/p>\n

\n Please use this number if you’re a journalist wishing to speak to Press Office<\/span>
\n 0303 444 1209\n <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n

Social media – DCLG<\/h3>\n
\n

Twitter – https:\/\/twitter.com\/CommunitiesUK<\/a>
Flickr – http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/communitiesuk\/<\/a>
LinkedIn – https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/department-for-communities-and-local-government<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Local Government Minister sets out plans to strengthen rules to prevent anyone found guilty of serious crimes from serving on local councils.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/84506"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=84506"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/84506\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":84564,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/84506\/revisions\/84564"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=84506"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=84506"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=84506"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}