News

This week Solace is launching a call for evidence on a new Code of Ethics for Local Public Service Senior Managers. This is a statement from Graeme McDonald, Director of Solace, on the project.

Professional bodies of senior managers across local public services have come together to develop a code of ethics for their members. The code will be an overarching statement of ethics, based upon individual behaviours. It is intended to be applicable to all those who hold senior management roles in local public services led by locally elected politicians.

Mark Rogers, President of Solace, said “this Code will be central to our commitment to and promotion of value-based leadership across local public services. Our residents’ expect us all to deliver high quality, efficient services in a transparent and open manner; to use their money and resources to the best possible effect.

The complexity of the challenges being faced means that public sector leaders are now operating and impacting across a wide range of institutional and cultural boundaries, not just within their own institution. To be effective these leaders need to set the highest standards for integrity, honesty, and objectivity if they are to be credible and treated with respect.

The pressure of austerity perhaps places even greater emphasis on appointed public sector leaders to: uphold democratic values; strengthening the accountability both of themselves and their political masters; and ensure that they all act in the public interest.”

The Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and Senior Managers (Solace) is working with the following organisations to develop the code:

– Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accounting
– Lawyers in Local Government
– Association of Directors of Adult Social Services
– Association of Directors of Children’s Services
– Public Sector People Managers’ Association
– Association of Directors of Environment, Planning, and Transport
– Association of Directors of Public Health
– Association of Policing and Crime Chief Executives
– Chief Fire Officers’ Association

In order to help shape the code and how it might be used to ensure high standards of conduct, we invite all interested individuals and organisations to submit evidence. We will be writing to a wide range of organisations and hope as many as possible respond.

Written evidence is requested by 5th June. The group intends to publish an initial analysis of the responses in July, with a view to launching a new code in October. Responses should be sent to graeme.mcdonald@solace.org.uk