Code of Conduct for Neighbourhood Board Members and Supporting Officers

The Plan for Neighbourhoods (PfN) is a government initiative administered through the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). It is a regeneration initiative that aims to support improvements to UK towns, boosting economic growth, improving infrastructure, enhancing social well-being and reducing disparities in areas most in need. Specifically, the PfN guidance from MHCLG states that the Neighbourhood Board shall involve people from the local community, including businesses, working with central and local government representatives to identify and address regeneration priorities.  

This is a fresh approach to decision making about key, long term priorities for regeneration of the town. The government guidance is clear that the Neighbourhood Board has a leadership role in empowering our communities, in the widest sense, to take a long term approach to creating change that will last (see Our Long-Term Plan for Towns – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). This is a big responsibility of service to our communities and our town. 

In this spirit, and to ensure that we make the best use of this opportunity for Bexhill, members, and those in supporting roles to the Neighbourhood Board, are asked to commit to acting according to the following statement of intent, based around the 7 principles of Public Life (‘Nolan Principles’).

1. We will act in a selfless way in the public interest, avoiding any personal gain or conflict of interest. We may all have conflicts of interest or boundary issues from time to time, but we will openly declare these, making sure they are up to date.
2. We will act with integrity at all times, upholding honesty and truthfulness, avoiding rumour, maintaining high moral standards in our role as community representatives and avoiding any behaviour that undermines public trust. This applies within the Neighbourhood Board and the wider community.  
3. We will always seek to be objective in our discussions and decision making, making decisions based on the best evidence, without bias or favouritism.
4. We will be constantly aware of our public accountability, being answerable for our words, our actions and our decisions, upholding transparency and responsibility.
5. We will collectively be open and transparent about our decision making processes and our reasoning, with regular community-faced engagement. 
6. We will be honest in all our dealings, within the Board and out in the community.
7. At all times we will show positive leadership, motivating and inspiring, listening constructively to others’ concerns and views, valuing diversity and seeking to resolve conflict constructively.

Failure to abide by this statement will, at the Chair’s discretion, result in ending of an individual’s membership of the Board.

This Code of Conduct is signed by all Neighbourhood Board members and supporting officers.