Code of Conduct

Code of Conduct of Parish Councillors

Each local council should adopt and publicise a Code of Conduct that is in line with the Nolan principles – anybody who works as a public office holder (and this includes all those who are elected or appointed to public office) should work with Selflessness, Integrity, Objectivity, Accountability, Openness, Honesty and Leadership. The code should deal with councillors’ obligations about their conduct including the registration and disclosure of their interests. Complaints about councillors’ conduct are dealt with by the principal authority (Cherwell District Council).

The Code applies to councillors when they are acting in their official capacity. It covers matters such as treating others with respect, avoiding bullying or harassment, declaring relevant interests, managing conflicts of interest, maintaining confidentiality where appropriate and ensuring that public office is not used for personal advantage.
Councillors are expected to uphold these standards in their dealings with fellow councillors, Council staff, members of the public and partner organisations. The Code also supports public confidence in the Council by promoting transparency, accountability and responsible decision-making.

Weston on the Green has adopted the Oxfordshire Councils’ Councillor Code of Conduct. All councillors, on election to office must sign a Declaration of Acceptance of Office in which they agree to follow the Code of Conduct.

Register of Interests (ROI) – as part of the above Code of Conduct, all councillors must Register their “Pecuniary Interests” and “Other Interests”. The Register of Interests for each councillor are stored by Cherwell District Council and can be found on their website: Register of Interests

If there is an item on the agenda of a Parish Council meeting in which a councillor has a pecuniary interest then he/she should declare it and not participate in any discussion or vote on the matter and should leave the meeting if requested. An item on the agenda may also be declared to be of prejudicial interest if it is deemed that the member’s judgement of the item under discussion is likely to be prejudiced. In such cases the councillor should leave the meeting immediately after making any representations or answering any questions.