THE leader of the council has dismissed calls for members to sign up to a set of principles.

At a recent meeting of the full council, a member of the public asked the Conservative administration to consider signing up to the late Lord Joel Joffe’s Better Swindon Principles.

The principles speak of “transforming the relationship between the council and the community to one of equality, trust and respect”.

They are an attempt to encourage high ethical standards among elected representatives.

But David Renard, leader of the council, dismissed the suggestion that councillors should adopt the principles.

He said: “The council already has its constitution and code of conduct and they are sufficient for the public to hold us to account. I don’t think it would be right because any other group could come up with a list of pledges and tell us to sign up for them.”