Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007

198 Case tribunals: England E+W

After section 78 of the Local Government Act 2000 (c. 22) insert—

“78A Decisions of case tribunals: England

(1) In this section “English case tribunal” means a case tribunal drawn from the Adjudication Panel for England.

(2) An English case tribunal which adjudicates on any matter must decide whether or not any person to which that matter relates has failed to comply with the code of conduct of the relevant authority concerned.

(3) Where an English case tribunal decides that a person has not failed to comply with the code of conduct of the relevant authority concerned, it must give notice to that effect to the standards committee of the relevant authority concerned.

(4) Where an English case tribunal decides that a person has failed to comply with the code of conduct of the relevant authority concerned, it may—

(a) take in respect of him any action authorised by regulations made by the Secretary of State for the purposes of this subsection, or

(b) decide to take no action against him.

(5) Regulations made under subsection (4) may in particular—

(a) enable the tribunal to censure the person,

(b) enable it to suspend, or partially suspend, the person from being a member or co-opted member of the relevant authority concerned for a limited period,

(c) enable it to disqualify the person, for a period not exceeding five years, for being or becoming (whether by election or otherwise) a member of that or any other relevant authority.

(6) The reference in subsection (5)(b) to the relevant authority concerned is to be read, in relation to a person who is no longer a member or co-opted member of the relevant authority concerned but is a member or co-opted member of another relevant authority in England, as a reference to that other relevant authority.

(7) Regulations made by the Secretary of State may require an English case tribunal to give a notice to the standards committee of the relevant authority concerned where it decides that a person has failed to comply with the code of conduct of that authority and—

(a) decides to suspend or partially suspend the person,

(b) decides to disqualify the person,

(c) decides to take action against the person other than suspension, partial suspension or disqualification, or

(d) decides to take no action against him.

(8) Regulations under subsection (7) may—

(a) prescribe the content of any notice,

(b) provide for the effect that any notice is to have,

(c) provide for provisions of the regulations to have effect with prescribed modifications where the person concerned is no longer a member or co-opted member of the relevant authority concerned, but is a member or co-opted member of another relevant authority in England.

78B English case tribunal decisions: supplementary

(1) A copy of any notice given under section 78A(3) or under regulations made under section 78A(7)—

(a) must be given to the Standards Board for England,

(b) must be given to any person who is the subject of the decision to which the notice relates, and

(c) must be published in one or more newspapers circulating in the area of the relevant authority concerned.

(2) Where the person concerned is no longer a member or co-opted member of the relevant authority concerned but is a member or co-opted member of another relevant authority in England, the following references to the relevant authority concerned are to be treated as including references to that other relevant authority—

(a) the second reference in section 78A(3);

(b) the reference in subsection (1)(c) above.

(3) Where an English case tribunal adjudicates on any matter, it must take reasonable steps to give notice of its decision to any person who made any allegation which gave rise to the adjudication.

(4) Where an English case tribunal decides under section 78A that a person has failed to comply with the code of conduct of the relevant authority concerned, that person may appeal to the High Court against that decision, or any other decision made by the tribunal by virtue of section 78A which relates to him.

(5) An appeal may not be brought under subsection (4) except with the leave of the High Court.”