§ Mr. MossTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what requirement there is for parish councillors to sign the Code of Conduct as individuals in cases where their parish council as a whole has not adopted the Code of Conduct. [59697]
§ Mr. LeslieI have been asked to reply.
The Local Government Act 2000 and The Parish Councils (Model Code of Conduct) Order 2001 place a duty on parish councils to adopt a code of conduct by 5 May 2002. If a code is not adopted by a parish council, parish councillors are not under a duty to give a written undertaking to observe a code. However, if a parish council fails to adopt a code, the provisions of the model code apply to all members of that council. Newly-elected members must give an undertaking on accepting office that they will observe the provisions of the model code.