𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

The scandal of British councillors who also stand for election in other parts of the world must be brought to an end, Local Government Secretary Steve Reed has declared. He vowed to act after two Tower Hamlets councillors attempted to stand for election in Bangladesh.

The pair are Sabina Khan, a councillor for the local Aspire party in the London borough, and Ohid Ahmed, an independent councillor. They have applied to be candidates for the Bangladesh National Party in elections to be held next year, London’s Standard newspaper reports.

Mr Reed also said he would act to ensure councils are able to expel members who are convicted of serious crimes. At the moment they can remain in post until receiving prison sentences. A new standards regime will allow councillors to be suspended or expelled if they break codes of conduct. Mr Reed said: “I’d never claim to have all the answers to running a council. But I would say that responsibility, respect and accountability are at the heart of it.”

Mr Reed added: “So for me, it isn’t about offering your staff a four-day working week on five-day pay; or thinking as a councillor you can represent your community in east London and at the same time one 5,000 miles away in Bangladesh.

“While I’m on real-life examples, nor does it inspire public confidence when councillors convicted of serious offences can cling to office until prison sentences are handed down.

“So this stops here. I’m fixing this broken system as part of our wider drive to clean up and strengthen local politics.

“No longer will the reputation of the many be dragged down by a reckless minority, enabled by our current broken system to avoid accountability.”

Under the proposals, councils will be able to suspend members found to have committed gross misconduct for up to six months, withhold allowances and ban individuals from premises.

In its response to a consultation on reforms, the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government said there were “widespread concerns” about inconsistent use of the current rules and a lack of effective sanctions for breaches of councils’ code of conduct.

The department highlighted that this year two councillors were convicted of serious offences, but remained in post until receiving prison sentences because powers to suspend them were not in place.

It said that current provisions under the Localism Act 2011 have “left councils’ hands tied in instances of handling misconduct”.

The consultation showed 94% of respondents backed a mandatory code of conduct, while 86% supported powers to suspend councillors for serious breaches.

“Rooting out bad actors within local authorities and providing the powers to quickly deal with misbehaviour will mean that focus can remain firmly on delivering for residents,” the department said.

Under the current legislation, councils are unable to suspend a councillor found to have breached its code of conduct.

Councils also currently have no powers to withhold allowances from members who commit serious breaches, and there is no explicit provision enabling rule-breaking councillors to be banned from entering facilities.

“The Government considers that the current local authority standards and conduct regime is in certain key aspects ineffectual, inconsistently applied, and lacking in adequate powers,” the department said.

Under planned new legislation, a mandatory code of conduct will apply to all types and tiers of councils in England to ensure “that everyone, everywhere is held to the same high standard”.

Local government minister Alison McGovern said: “These reforms will raise the bar and ensure swift, fair action where it’s needed most.

“Residents deserve the highest standards from their representatives, and those standing for election deserve more backup when things go wrong.

he Local Government Association said reforms must protect the rights of councillors and complainants.

Matt Boughton, chair of the LGA’s safer and stronger communities committee, said: “The vast majority of councillors act with the best of intentions and uphold high standards.

“Yes in those cases where standards have fallen, it is clear that the current system does not meet the requirements of modern local government.

“We support measures that foster an environment in which respectful debate and freedom of speech is encouraged, providing clear national standards through a mandatory code, and robust, but proportionate sanctions for misconduct.

“Equally, reforms must protect the rights of councillors and complainants, whilst ensuring local representation is not inappropriately disrupted.

“Early resolution and consistent guidance will be crucial in building public confidence in a stronger, fairer local standards system.

“We urge the Government to work closely with councils to implement these reforms in a way that best serves councils and their communities and will respond to the Governments legislative proposals in full when they’re released.”

The Conservatives rejected the measures.

Shadow local government minister Paul Holmes said: “We shouldn’t take any lectures on ethics from a Labour Government mired in rows about sleaze, cronyism and tax avoidance.”

He pointed to Sir Keir Starmer letting Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy “off the hook” for failing to declare donations to Labour made by the chairman of the new football watchdog, as well as former local government secretary Angela Rayner’s resignation over stamp duty.

“The ballot box, not new quangos, is the best mechanism for kicking out those who fail to deliver for their constituents,” Mr Holmes said.