WIREDGOV

New Chairman appointed to the Standards Board for England

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT News Release (109) issued by The Government News Network on 13 May 2008

Dr Robert Chilton has been appointed as the new Chair of the Standards Board for England by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.

Dr Chilton will lead the board, which is responsible for the promotion and maintenance of high standards of conduct for members of local authorities in England from 1 July 2008, for a three year term. He takes over from Sir Anthony Holland, who has led the Board for seven years.

The Standards Board's main task now, with the new, more locally based conduct regime in place, is that of a light touch regulator, providing support, advice and guidance to assist local authorities in their treatment of allegations of misconduct by councillors.

Minister for Local Government, John Healey, said:

"I am very pleased to appoint Dr Chilton as Chair of the Standards Board. I am confident that he has not only the strategic vision to lead the Board in its new role as a light touch regulator, but also a deep understanding and experience of local government, which will be invaluable in ensuring the Board continues its key work of promoting the highest standards of conduct across local government.

"I would also like to put on record our very great appreciation and thanks to Sir Anthony for all he has done during his time as the Board's Chair. It is through his leadership both that the role of the Board has developed over the years and that the importance of high standards of conduct is recognised throughout local government.

"We are very grateful to Sir Anthony and wish him well for the future."

Notes for Editors

1. Section 57 of the Local Government Act 2000 made provision for an independent body, the Standards Board for England, to promote and maintain high standards of conduct for members and co-opted members of local authorities in England.

2. The Standards Board for England is a non-departmental public body, funded by the Department for Communities and Local Government.

3. On 8 May a new conduct regime came into force, giving local standards committees the responsibility for initially assessing all allegations of misconduct by councillors and, in all but the most serious cases, dealing with any subsequent investigations, decisions and sanctions.

4. As a result, the role of the Standards Board for England has changed. The Standards Board will concentrate on its role as a light-touch regulator providing advice and guidance for local authorities. It will also act as a monitoring body, ensuring that high standards of conduct in local authorities are maintained. The Standards Board remains the body responsible for the promotion and maintenance of high standards of conduct for members of local authorities in England and for handling the most serious cases of misconduct.

5. There are ten members of the Standards Board including the Chair.
They are currently:

Sir Anthony Holland (Chair) (Term of office expires on 31 June 2008)
Patricia Hughes CBE (Deputy Chair)
Councillor Shirley Flint
Paul Gott
Elizabeth Hall
Councillor Mehboob Khan
Professor Judy Simons
Councillor Sir Ron Watson CBE
Margaret May

One post is currently vacant. It is expected that this will be filled shortly.

6. Dr Robert Chilton Is a non-executive director of the Waste and Resources Action programme, a Board member for the Office of the Information Commissioner, Chair of the major London housing association the East Thames Group and Deputy chair of ICSTIS (the premium phone rate regulator)

7. His association with local government stretches back to 1965, when he worked in regional planning prior to attending Cambridge University. After University he had a career in local authority planning, working in Haringey, Lewisham, Brent and Sheffield before becoming Director of Housing and Property Services for Kensington and Chelsea in 1979 and in 1986 becoming Chief Executive of Gillingham Borough Council.

8. In 1989 he was appointed Director of Local Government Studies at the Audit Commission. From June 1995 to July 1996 he was Chief Executive of the Local Government Commission, from April 1999 to May 20000 he was Head of Transition at the Greater London Authority Transition team, from May 2000 to September 2000 he was the interim Chief Executive at the Greater London Authority and from September 2000 to February 2001 he was Interim Commissioner for Transport at Transport for London.

9. Dr Chilton takes over the Chair from Sir Anthony Holland, who has served for seven years since the formal establishment of the Board in 2001.

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