Ethical standards clinic

I’m setting up arrangements for the standards committee hearing and the chair of the Committee has asked whether the Committee needs to be politically balanced when holding hearings. What advice should I give him?

There is no legislative requirement that Standards Committees at ordinary meetings or hearings are to be politically balanced. Members serving on Standards Committees are expected to rise above their political interests and judge each case according to the merits alone. This issue was considered by the Adjudication Panel for England’s case tribunal in November 2006 at an appeal hearing against Test Valley Borough Council’s Standards Committee decision concerning the conduct of Councillor Dowden of North Baddesley Parish Council.