In 2002, Oving Parish Council adopted a Code of Conduct for Members based on a model code authorised by Parliament. The purpose of this code is to ensure there is no conflict between people serving as Members of the Parish Council and any personal interest they may have in the decisions of the Parish Council. The code applies to all local authorities. Parliament has recently issued a new model code which was adopted by Oving Parish Council on 11th July 2007.

The main changes between the existing model code and the new model code are as follows-
Parts of the Code apply to Members’ private lives only where their conduct in their private lives led to them being convicted of a criminal offence.

A Member must not:
(a) cause the Council to breach its legal obligations relating to equalities; or
(b) bully any person; or
(C) intimidate any person involved in complaints made against Members that they have breached the Code.

A Member must:
(a) have regard to the local authorities code on publicity;
(b) declare the following at a meeting if it relates to a matter being discussed:-
(i) the receipt as a Member in the last 3 years of a gift or hospitality worth at least £25; or
(ii) the interests of a member of his or her family or a close associate; or
(iii) the existence of a personal interest (but not its details) if it relates to “sensitive information” as defined in the Code; and
(c) put in the public register of interests the receipt as a Member of gifts and hospitality worth at least £25.
A Member may:
(a) disclose confidential information if it is reasonable and in the public interest to do so;
(b) if he or she has a prejudicial interest, present his or her views at a meeting in the same way as a member of the public may do, but then leave the meeting; and
(c) exclude “sensitive information” from the public register of interests.

A Member is no longer under a duty to report other Members to the Standards Board for apparent breaches of the Code.