Standards Without Teeth: Why local government's code of conduct is failing

As the LGA conference kicks off, Kath O'Dwyer, Solace, explains why the standards regime is failing and what a fit-for-purpose system should look like.

Top 100: Our most popular local government stories of 2016

See our countdown of the 100 most popular stories on LocalGov during 2016, with council pensions, the impact of Brexit and election fiascos dominating the headlines.

1. Red-light district given the go ahead in Leeds

2. What does Brexit mean for local government?

3. Five councils sign 'ground breaking' outsourcing contracts

4. Unison accepts local government pay offer

5. Local government staff recognised in New Year's Honours list

6. Stalemate over local government pay deal

7. Council pension scheme must be replaced, says think tank

8. Budget 2016: Councils delivered financial blow

9. MP calls for overhaul of Britain’s ‘faltering local government system’

10. Hundreds of jobs at risk as councils publish budget plans

11. Council introduces levy on driveways

12. Budget 2016: Public sector pensions will remain 'sustainable', claims chancellor

13. Row breaks out over council pay deal

14. Council’s ‘insensitivity’ to blame for employee’s suicide, coroner says

15. Stress levels of council staff reaching ‘breaking point’

16. Ex-council worker jailed for £1m fraud

17. Councils facing bill of millions to implement Pay to Stay policy

18. Two London councils to share a workforce

19. Local government figures recognised in Queen's birthday honours

20. Controversial Housing Bill to become law

21. Budget 2016: Osborne unveils further devolution deals

22. Councils have credit rating downgraded after Brexit

23. Lawyers call for Parliamentary vote on Brexit

24. Term-time absence case thrown out by court

25. Outgoing council chief executive says he 'longs' for the day council is scrapped

26. FOI request reveals rise in council suspensions over social media breaches

27. Mass data breach at Nottinghamshire council

28. Council offers £40,000 cash in place of Right to Buy discount

29. Nurseries abandon 30-hour free childcare pilot due to lack of funding

30. Tech entrepreneur dies after hitting pothole

31. 24 councils could face legal action over high-interest loans

32. Councils tell homeless ‘to sleep rough’

33. Brexit could cost Cornwall ‘hundreds of millions’, councillor says

34. Council leaders warn Brexit would 'wreak havoc' on services

35. Frontline services threatened by ‘radical shake-up’ in council funding

36. Corbyn defiant as council leaders join resignation calls

37. Council leaders need a ‘cultural revolution’ finds report

38. Historic settlement promises £300m of transitional funding for councils

39. Councils propose joint management to make savings

40. Budget 2016: Local government left ‘deeply anxious’

41. Council error sees man mistakenly given £620,000

42. New Right to Buy toolkit launched

43. Councils selling off parks and green spaces

44. Leeds named as local authority of the year

45. Barnet chief executive steps down after election errors

47. Voters turned away from polling stations in Barnet

48. Councils given 'stay of execution' from Brexit budget

49. Right to buy amendment causes concern over forced sale of housing stock

50. Councillor suspended for offensive Jo Cox comment

51. Hull City Council offers voluntary redundancy to all staff

52. County cuts could signal end of services, say council leaders

53. Council first to adopt AI to deliver services

54. Digital transformation has been mostly ‘cosmetic’, study finds

55. Council suspends three staff over corruption allegations

56. Bournemouth reveals plan to bring outsourced services back in house

57. Controversial outsourcing contract saves council over £30m

58. Research reveals winners and losers in council funding reforms

59. Councils should expect no ‘mercy’ from May, union says

60. Research warns of 'grim' outlook for council spending

61. Report: Rip out 80% of traffic lights

62. Council orders investigation into 'serious' corruption allegations

63. Warning Brexit could devalue council pension schemes

64. Top ten worst excuses for fly-tipping

65. The crisis in social care funding

66. Inflation-proofing of pensions could cost councils £1bn warns firm

67. Petition calls for debate on reforms to council pension schemes

68. Brexit: Local government facing ‘policy vacuum’

69. Employment tribunal finds in favour of Bournemouth BC

70. Queen's Speech 2016: A legislative programme with local government at its heart

71. FOI: 1,172 council staff suspended on full pay

72. Union threatens strike action over council’s ‘culture of bullying’

73. County proposes extending unpaid leave policy for staff

74. Half of councils now taking part in One Public Estate programme

75. Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire unveil devolution deal

76. Housing professionals hit out at 'pay to stay' policy

77. Local government workers ‘entering realm of poverty wages’, union claims

78. Minister prepares to back track on academies plan

79. Town hall 'pravdas' given final warning