On Board - A guide for Board Members of Public Bodies in Scotland (April 2015)

This Guide provides much of the basic information that a Board Member will need to understand their role as a member of the Board of a public body in Scotland.


The Commissioner for Ethical Standards in Public Life in Scotland

The Public Services Reform (Commissioner for Ethical Standards in Public Life in Scotland etc.) Order 2013 came into force on 1 July 2013. The Order transferred the functions of the Public Standards Commissioner for Scotland and the Public Appointments Commissioner for Scotland to a single Commissioner for Ethical Standards in Public Life in Scotland (the Commissioner).

The Commissioner is an independent office holder who works in two areas:

  • Public appointments, regulating how people are appointed to the Boards of public bodies in Scotland; and
  • Public standards, where the Commissioner can investigate a complaint about a councillor or a member of a devolved public body who is alleged to have contravened the councillors' or the appropriate public body's Code of Conduct.

Where the Commissioner identifies that a breach or breaches of a Code or Codes may have occurred, the Commissioner will report on the outcome of these investigations to the Standards Commission for adjudicatory action and application of sanctions, where appropriate.

Contact

Email: Gordon Quinn

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