The Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption has published its sixth-round evaluation of the United Kingdom, focusing on corruption prevention and integrity in local government. Released on 20 August 2026, the report examines the national framework alongside practices at the Greater London Authority and Kent County Council.
GRECO describes the UK’s local integrity framework as highly developed and identifies examples of good practice in both authorities. It also makes six recommendations intended to strengthen accountability, transparency and public trust.
What did GRECO find?
The evaluation highlights regular reviews of anti-corruption policies, collaborative information sharing, robust procurement procedures and enforceable codes of conduct. It also points to developed rules on gifts and hospitality, data matching used to detect undeclared interests, lobbying guidance, designated whistleblowing contacts and proactive publication and consultation practices.
These findings do not mean that the system is complete. GRECO’s recommendations concentrate on areas where standards exist but enforcement, transparency or implementation can be improved.
The six areas identified for further action
The Council of Europe summary groups the recommendations around six practical issues:
- clearer and more effective sanctions for elected officials who breach codes of conduct;
- making the newly established local audit office fully operational;
- improving transparency around lobbying;
- providing confidential integrity counselling for employees;
- increasing integrity training for councillors;
- placing the duty to publish councillors’ gifts and hospitality on a legal footing, including an explicit online declaration where nothing has been received.
Some recommendations require action by national authorities, while others concern the Greater London Authority or Kent County Council. GRECO says effective implementation will therefore depend on coordination between central and local institutions.
Why the report matters
Local-government integrity rules often depend on several systems working together: declarations of interests, procurement controls, audit, lobbying disclosure, whistleblowing and enforceable conduct standards. Weakness in one area can make otherwise detailed policies difficult to apply in practice.
The recommendation on sanctions is especially significant because a code of conduct has limited deterrent value if breaches do not lead to clear and proportionate consequences. The lobbying and gifts recommendations similarly focus on whether the public can see who sought to influence a decision and whether an official received a benefit.
What happens next?
The UK has been invited to report on the steps taken to implement GRECO’s recommendations by 31 December 2027. The Ministry of Justice says the government is considering the findings.
The evaluation does not itself change UK law. Its immediate effect is to establish an international benchmark against which future reforms and local practices can be assessed. Public bodies should expect continuing scrutiny of whether integrity policies are not only written, but transparent, enforceable and supported by effective audit arrangements.
This article is for general information only and is not legal advice.