Councillor Ethics and Standards

The way Councillors act in office and during meetings, particularly over matters where they have a personal or financial interest, is governed both by the law and by a national code of conduct.

The Council has an Audit & Scrutiny Committee, which, alongside its scrutiny role has the job of advising the Council on the operation of the Code of Conduct for members and of overseeing the Council's policy on the proper conduct of business. Breaches of the code may be referred to the Standards Commission for Scotland.

The Audit & Scrutiny Committee is also responsible for the Council's procedures for investigating and responding to complaints, considering reports following investigations by Ethical Standards Officers and considering any lessons from findings of maladministration by the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman.

The Council has a Monitoring Officer whose job it is to advise the Council and individual Councillors on questions of conduct and ethics. In the end however, each individual is responsible for the propriety of his or her actions.