Rehman Chishti
Main Page: Rehman Chishti (Conservative - Gillingham and Rainham)(13 years, 6 months ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text
Mr Pickles
The hon. Lady is mistaking this Government’s position with that of the previous one, who would often impose things on local people. She seems to be suggesting that we would somehow impose mayors on those 12 cities, but of course we will not—that is completely out of the question. The proposals will be subject to referendums. Once we know the views of the people in those 12 cities, we will move on to the election of a mayor if people vote for that.
Rehman Chishti (Gillingham and Rainham) (Con)
7. What timetable he has set for the closure of the Standards Board for England.
The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Mr Eric Pickles)
The provisions will be in the localism Bill, and we will move as speedily as possible.
Rehman Chishti
What will replace the board and how will members of the public be able to hold their councils and councillors to account?
Mr Pickles
We have been in discussions with the Local Government Association and we will have a code of conduct, which seems to me to be a sensible way of doing that—[Interruption.] The right hon. Member for Greenwich and Woolwich (Mr Raynsford) seems to think that the boards have achieved something, but their only achievement has been to be petty, silly and pointless.
The latest example of that concerns a Green party councillor, Jason Kitcat, who placed unofficial video footage of a council meeting on his website. He has been referred to the board for not showing his council respect. With the joyous news of the Lady Thatcher’s improving health, perhaps I could say to Councillor Kitcat: “YouTube if you want to.”