Councillors
< Back to Article Listd. Disclosing interests
Last updated: 19 November 2024 at 16:24:13 UTC by Sophie Brouillet
Within 28 days of becoming a councillor, s.30 Localism Act 2011 requires the member to register with the Monitoring Officer any disclosable pecuniary interests (DPI), as defined in the Relevant Authorities (Disclosable Pecuniary Interests) Regulations, 2012 (see also Table 1, LGA Model Councillor Code of Conduct). The interests of the Councillor's spouse, civil partner (or someone lived with as a partner) must be disclosed also. Upon re-election, a councillor must notify any DPIs not already included in their register of interests.
Failure to do register within 28 days is an offence.
Additionally, the Code of Conduct requires registration of what are termed 'Other Registerable Interests' (ORI), defined in Table 2 of the Code.
The LGA Code says that when a matter is being considered in a meeting which relates to or affects the interest, members are obliged to disclose DPIs, ORIs and what are termed Non-Registerable Interests in the Code. Usually this will require withdrawal from the meeting, unless a dispensation has been granted by the Council.
Use this link to view The Model Council - Code of Conduct and Standards
N.B. NALC have issued an advice note on their website - Members' Conduct and the Registration and Disclosure of their interests.
[To access the NALC website you will need to set up an individual account (SALC members only). Video guidance on how to do this is available here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zapNDmP8jjY]