Allowing local authorities to be the first step in the Standard Board's scrutiny process could be a recipe for disaster, writes Nick Raynsford

Local government's relationship with the Standards Board for England has been a difficult one. In the five years or so of its existence, the board has attracted more than its fair share of criticism. Although many councillors and senior officers would privately agree that the establishment of a consistent national framework for overseeing ethical standards was desirable, few have been able to resist the temptation to have a go at the Standards Board when the opportunity has arisen.