1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0

Harlow Council Monitoring Officer

 

The Monitoring Officer at Harlow Council is Mike White, Head of Legal & Democratic Services.  He is a lawyer with considerable experience in Local Government.

The Monitoring Officer is responsible for advising the Council on the legality of their decisions and on the conduct of Councillors and Officers.  The vast majority of Councils in the UK have high ethical standards and Councillors and Council staff all behave honestly and properly.  Part of the job of Monitoring Officers is to promote and encourage such high standards of behaviour in all Harlow Council business. 

 

The government has taken steps to maintain high standards in Councils and has established a body called Standards Board for England website.'  The job of the Standards Board is to monitor and maintain standards of conduct in local government.  It also employs independent investigators who will examine complaints of misconduct by Councillors.  If you want to learn more visit ithe Standards Board for England website.

 

Every local Councillor in England and Wales (including Parish Councillors) must comply with a Code of Conduct.  The Code requires Councillors to treat people fairly and with respect, put aside their own interests when conducting Council business and to behave in a way that does not bring the Council into disrepute.  This Code is part of Harlow Council’s constitution.


All Councillors also have to fill in a form which goes in a public register of interests and declare any gifts or hospitality that they receive.  This register can be inspected by anyone, and sets out things like what business a Councillor carries on and what property he/she owns.  The register is kept by the Monitoring Officer. 
 

Every Council also has to have a Standards Committee which works closely with the Monitoring Officer.  Harlow’s Standards Committee is set up to help Councillors observe the Code of Conduct, promote high standards of conduct and deal with complaints against Councillors referred to it from the Standards Board (if any).  The Standards Committee includes independent members who have no connection with the Council.  Their role is to give a balanced and neutral view on any issues considered by the committee.  The Chairman of the Standards Committee is one of these independent members.