Local Government Act 2000

55 Standards committees or sub-committees for parish councils

(1) A standards committee of a district council is to have the same functions in relation to—

(a) the parish councils for which the district council are the responsible authority, and

(b) the members of those parish councils,

as the standards committee has under section 54(1) and (2) in relation to the district council and the members of the district council.

(2) A standards committee of a unitary county council is to have the same functions in relation to—

(a) the parish councils for which the county council are the responsible authority, and

(b) the members of those parish councils,

as the standards committee has under section 54(1) and (2) in relation to the county council and the members of the county council.

(3) A standards committee of a district council or unitary county council may appoint a sub-committee for the purpose of discharging all of the functions conferred on the standards committee by this section.

(4) In deciding whether it will be their standards committee, or a sub-committee of their standards committee, which is to discharge the functions conferred by this section, a district council or unitary county council must consult the parish councils for which they are the responsible authority.

(5) The number of members of a sub-committee of a standards committee of a district council or unitary county council, and the term of office of those members, are to be fixed by the standards committee after consultation with the parish councils for which the district council or unitary county council are the responsible authority.

(6) Where the standards committee of a district council or unitary county council discharges the functions conferred by this section, the standards committee—

(a) must include at least one member of any of the parish councils for which the district council or unitary county council are the responsible authority, and

(b) must ensure that at least one person falling within paragraph (a) is present at any meeting of the committee when matters relating to those parish councils, or the members of those parish councils, are being considered.

(7) Where a sub-committee of the standards committee of a district council or unitary county council discharges the functions conferred by this section, the sub-committee must include—

(a) at least one member of the standards committee who falls within section 53(4)(b), and

(b) at least one member of any of the parish councils for which the district council or unitary county council are the responsible authority.

(8) Regulations under section 53(6)(a) and (c) to (g) may make provision in relation to sub-committees appointed under this section, and regulations under section 53(6)(b) may make provision as to the appointment of persons falling within subsection (6)(a) or (7)(a) or (b) of this section.

(9) Subsections (7), (8), (9) and (10) of section 53 apply in relation to sub-committees of standards committees appointed under this section as they apply in relation to standards committees.

(10) Subsections (4) and (6) of section 54 apply in relation to sub-committees of standards committees appointed under this section as they apply in relation to standards committees.

(11) Any function which by virtue of the following provisions of this Part is exercisable by or in relation to the standards committee of a relevant authority which is a parish council is to be exercisable by or in relation to—

(a) the standards committee of the district council or unitary county council which are the responsible authority in relation to the parish council, or

(b) where that standards committee has appointed a sub-committee under this section, that sub-committee;

and any reference in the following provisions of this Part to the standards committee of a relevant authority which is a parish council is to be construed accordingly.

(12) A district council or unitary county council are the responsible authority—

(a) in relation to a parish council which is not a common parish council, if the parish is situated within the area of the district council or county council,

(b) in relation to a parish council which is a common parish council—

(i) if the parishes in the group are wholly situated within that area, or

(ii) where that is not the case, if the greatest number of local government electors for the parishes in the group is situated in that area.

(13) In this section “unitary county council” means the council of a county in England in which there are no district councils.