Update on the Indicative Sanctions Policy review

As part of this review we commissioned market research into the public’s views of the Policy and undertook a public consultation. The review concluded in December 2018, where the newly named Sanctions Policy was approved by Council.

As a result of this review, substantial changes have been made to the content and structure of the Policy. These include:

• greater emphasis on our standards and our obligations under equality and diversity legislation;
• a more detailed approach to proportionality;
• new sections on aggravating and mitigating factors, to support panel members in making decisions on sanction;
• a new section outlining types of cases which should be considered particularly serious, and therefore may require a more serious sanction; and
• a restructuring the Policy’s approach to sanction, including information on review hearings.

We anticipate that the revised Policy will be implemented in summer 2019. In advance of this, online training will be rolled out to panel members. Further details regarding implementation of the Policy will be shared with panel members at a later date.

For more information, and to read the most recent version of the Policy, you can review the December Council paper here