Joint ADSO and LLG response to the King’s Speech

The Association of Democratic Services Officers (ADSO) and Lawyers in Local Government (LLG) have welcomed the positive statement in the King’s Speech that the government will bring forward measures to ensure the highest standards of trust in public service.

However, it is extremely disappointing that reforms to local government specifically were not referenced in the King’s Speech especially in regard to standards reform or remote and hybrid meetings for local councils in England. The Public Office Accountability Bill has already progressed substantially (albeit stalled before its third reading and is now due back for report stage having been carried over). This means there appears no ready vehicle for provision on standards or remote meetings to make the statute book any time soon despite Government assurances of the delivery of these important changes.

Whilst the introduction of the Hillsborough law and the duty of candour mark a strong move towards improving trust in public office; proposals around accountability, productivity and innovation are restricted specifically to the civil service. This is a missed opportunity to empower councils to adopt a joined-up approach to the changes as they work hard to deliver reorganisation.

We urge Ministers to continue to work with us and urgently provide clarity on when we might expect legislative provision.

Peter Sass, ADSO Chair said:

“Like Government we recognise the importance of high standards of accountability and productivity in public service. It is disappointing that no provision has been made in the forthcoming legislative programme to empower local government in these areas when the case for change is clear. ADSO remains committed to working with Government and our partners to ensure legislation is brought forward at the earliest possible opportunity.”

Helen Bennett, LLG Director of Policy & Governance said:

“There are over 35 pieces of legislation referenced in the King’s Speech which cover a host of public service provision but we remain disappointed that there appears no effective movement forward both on meaningful sanctions within the conduct regime for local government nor provision to enable councils to be on the same footing as business’ and other public sector provision in the way in which meetings are held. Local government in England is still operating within a meetings framework set back in 1972, some 54 years ago.”

The Remote Meeting Campaign

ADSO and LLG have campaigned for remote and hybrid meetings to be reinstated since they were successfully introduced in the pandemic. Over six years, we have worked together to:

·      Support our members at the beginning of the first lockdown by publishing guidance notes for the holding of remote meetings and subsequently producing model standing orders.

·      Provide evidence to the previous Government to show why the right to convene such meetings should be extended beyond the May 2021 deadline.

·      Ensure a joined-up sector approach through the national remote meetings stakeholder group.

·      Instituted

 Proceedings in the High Court in April 2021 to seek clarification of the law to enable councils to continue to meet remotely following the expiry of the relevant Covid regulations. (We were supported in our application by the then Secretary of State and the Local Government Association, plus other organisations).

·      Submit a Freedom of Information request and forcing a decision notice in an attempt to get the Government to publish the information held on the original call for evidence.

·      Provide draft legislation which could potentially be adopted to enable remote provision.

·      Continue to engage with Government to encourage the reintroduction of remote meetings, including corresponding with the eight different Ministers in the Department throughout the last six years.

·      Provide detailed responses to the most recent Government consultation.