Joint Standards Committee	24 September 2026
Report of the Deputy Monitoring Officer

Code of Conduct Annual Review

Summary

1. This report concerns the annual review of the adopted Code of Conduct.

Background

2. The Authority is required by section 27 of Localism Act 2011 to adopt a Code of Conduct which will apply to all members, and co-opted members of the Authority.

3. The statute also requires that the Code includes provision for disclosure and registration of pecuniary and other interests, and must be consistent with the ‘Nolan Principles’, which are:

(1) Selflessness

(2) Integrity

(3) Objectivity

(4) Accountability

(5) Openness

(6) Honesty

(7) Leadership

4. There is no limit to what may be included in an adopted Code, so long as it is consistent with these statutory requirements. 

5. The Authority has adopted the Model Code of Conduct 2020 (as amended) published by the Local Government Association (LGA), which appears at Appendix 14 of the Constitution. 

6. The LGA conducts an annual review of its Model Code to ensure it continues to be fit-for-purpose, and to incorporate advances in technology, social media and changes in legislation. The last review took place on 11 March 2026. 

7. The Joint Standards Committee is responsible for undertaking an annual review of the Authority’s adopted Code in response to the LGA Model Code annual review, by virtue of paragraph 2.1(c) of Article 10 of the Constitution. 

8. In wider context, significant changes to the standards framework are anticipated in the near future.  Part of the changes include a new nation-wide mandatory Code of Conduct, which was announced in a Ministerial Statement published on 11 November 2025.  Whilst this mandatory code has yet to be prepared, it will require the Joint Standards Committee to re-visit this review at a future session, once the mandatory code is published and becomes law.

LGA Changes

9. The Model Code was not edited in March 2026 following the most recent LGA review.

10. The last time the LGA edited the Model Code of Conduct following a review was on 17 May 2021.  Since then, material updates have been implemented via parallel codes and guidance such as the Code of Conduct for Political and Independent Appointees, and the Model Guidance for Elected Members’ Use of Social Media, which are intended to be read alongside the main document. 

11. The Authority adopted the most recent version of the Model Code in January 2023, with a single additional sentence at paragraph 10c encouraging an informal register of declined gifts and hospitality.  There are no other differences between the LGA Model Code and Appendix 14.

Options

12. The Committee is invited to consider 2 options:

a) To recommend changes to the Code of Conduct to be adopted into Appendix 14 (Code of Conduct).

b) To decide that no changes are necessary at this time.

Council Plan

13. The members’ Code of Conduct is integral to ‘How the Council Operates’ in chapter 11 of the Council Plan.  Councillors represent local residents, work to develop better services and to deliver local change. The public have high expectations and entrust councillors to take decisions fairly, openly, and transparently. There is both an individual and collective responsibility to meet these expectations by maintaining high standards and demonstrating good conduct, and by challenging behaviour which falls below expectations. The Code is designed to protect this democratic role, encourage good conduct and safeguard the public’s trust in local government.

Implications

Financial

14. Not applicable to this report.

Human Resources (HR)

15. Not applicable to this report.

Equalities

16. Maintaining standards across the City through the Code of Conduct ensures that an ethical framework can be adhered to, including ensuring that equality issues form an integral part of that framework. 

Legal

17. The legislative framework and constitutional functions are outlined in the body of this report. 

18. Any changes, replacement, or adoption of an alternative Code of Conduct, is statutorily reserved to full council under section 28(13) of Localism Act 2011. Where the outcome of the Joint Standards Committee’s review recommends any changes, these must be so referred.

Crime and Disorder, Information Technology and Property

19. Not applicable to this report.

Recommendations

20. That the Joint Standards Committee do not recommend any changes to the currently adopted Code of Conduct (option b). 

Reasoning: Given the pending wholesale changes anticipated with the introduction of a national mandatory code, and the absence of any changes to the Model Code following the LGA’s last review, there is no current identifiable change to recommend.

Author & Officer Responsible for the report: Chris Coss Head of Legal Services and Deputy Monitoring Officer chris.coss@york.gov.uk
	Report Approved	ü	Date	21 September 2026
Wards Affected:					All	ü
For further information please contact the author of the report

Annex A

· Copy Appendix 14 (CYC Members’ Code of Conduct)