£50 gift declaration rule should be increased to £100 say councillors
Staffordshire councillors have called for the maximum value of gifts and hospitality they can receive without declaring to be increased to £100 as part of a new code of conduct being considered.
The Local Government Association has produced a new model code of conduct for elected members, which Staffordshire County Council is considering for adoption.
But members of the authority’s audit and standards committee have questioned the proposed minimum value of any gifts or hospitality they must report to the council’s monitoring officer.
Governance and support manager Julie Plant said: “It’s pleasing to see that this code ups the value from £25 to £50, which was roughly what members were supporting. The £50 is an improvement on what was there before.”
But Councillor David Brookes suggested this figure should be doubled.
He said: “The £25 was far too low and I still think the £50 is far too low. It raises more questions than it answers.
“I remember when I was a borough councillor a resident of mine in Uttoxeter was upset – the house she lived in had a road sign that said public toilet pointing directly to her house but it meant 50 yards up the road. Because the sign was moved she wanted to say thank you and give me a bottle of wine. At the time I declined it and I think she was quite upset and put down by that.
“Regularly a friend of mine invites me for a day out at Uttoxeter Races, he’s got a box. He’s a close and personal friend. I don’t want to be scratching my head as to whether I should declare it or not, as clearly the day’s entertainment that I receive and the company I couldn’t buy for £50.
“I think £100 would be more appropriate, because if we’re not careful we’re confusing things. If it was £100 it removes any element of doubt that it was given to you as a gift to influence any decision that you might have.
“Most of us as county councillors are fairly professional people and we’ve had a lifetime of experience in business or whatever field we’ve been involved with. We’re probably used to receiving this level of hospitality or gift.
“I think the limit should be a more pragmatic limit that stops any confusion and stops the nonsense of some of the complaints many of us have to deal with.”
Councillor Alistair Little said: “I think £50 is a bit silly – we are grown-ups and professionals. In my role as a councillor I go to the agricultural show, get parking and a sandwich. That’s well more than £50 – I think it’s £60, so I’m 20 per cent over the limit.
“In my professional life I get given first class flights, five star hotels, helicopters and Ferraris for the weekend for my wife and it doesn’t affect the way I do business for my clients. In that respect it’s dumbing down the fact that councillors can have a view in a very forward-facing important political role, that we could be bribed by a bottle of wine when we come here with skills sets that mean we can do the job competently and well enough from our private life and private businesses.”
Councillor Paul Northcott said: “We are professional, we operate in very high standards in terms of our own personal and business lives and I think we should be trusted in this respect.
“I think the limit is far too low, bearing in mind there are things like invites to the County Show. A couple of tickets for myself and my wife could easily go over £50 and I don’t think that’s reflective of the times we live in.”
But John Tradewell, director of corporate services, told the meeting the measures only applied when gifts and hospitality were offered to a member because of their role as a councillor.
“Gifts and hospitality offered from friends in your private life do not have to be declared”, he added. “Even if gifts and hospitality are offered to you and they are over a value of £50 the code doesn’t say you can’t accept those gifts and hospitality.
“What the code says is you have to declare them in those circumstances. I think it’s right that members do declare gifts and hospitality that are offered to them because they are councillors.
“That is something I think the public is entitled to know and it’s a principle of good transparency in local government, that where you are offered things as a county councillor you make that clear to the public.”
Councillor Carolyn Trowbridge said: “The limit was £25, we’re upping it to £50. I can’t see why we’re having this discussion.
“We’re going in the right direction for the time. What wine has David Brookes been given? You need to come to Aldi with me – for £3.99 you can get an award-winning wine.
“The only thing I have ever been given as a councillor is flowers, which is under £50. I’m obviously not moving in the same circles as everybody else here.
“Just to record it after £50 – I don’t see what the big deal is. I think we’re making a huge fuss for nothing.”
