Down to Stafford again tonight for more scrutiny committee training - this time for the Standards committee. The Borough Council's legal advisor, Alistair Walsh, took us through a general overview of the committee's remit and explained the basic principles of the new Code of Conduct which will come into operation in the autumn.
I understand that Staford has a fairly good record on complaints against councillors so perhaps we will not be called upon too often to adjudicate. But I am concerned to hear that under the new Code, most complaints will now be determined by this committee - even the more serious cases which hitherto have been sent on to the Standards Board for a decision. I worry that this may be perceived as 'councillors looking after their own'. And, as one very experienced councillor remarked, it's going to be extremely difficult to adjudicate upon an allegation against a friend of many years standing. Impartiality and independence are clearly issues which could be severely tested. We shall see.
