Members' Pledge

Our shared ambition is to be inclusive and respectful so that we as councillors can be the best we can be for our residents.

• We are building a culture where everyone is welcome and safe.

• We are committed to listening, transparency, openness, and accountability.

• We want to be known for our heritage, history, ambition and opportunity.

• We are no place for hate.

In Tower Hamlets, we will hold ourselves to account, strive for greater success, be open to change and lean-into the future.

Purpose

Our Political Behaviours Pledge sets a strong expectation that this is what we do and how we will do it, and we are committed to it being implemented inside the council.

This pledge demonstrates our commitment to residents and to the role and responsibility of being a councillor in Tower Hamlets.

The pledge will evolve over time. Councillors will review it regularly, this will ensure it stays practical and reflects how we want to work together for our residents.

We will make this more than a piece of paper, by turning words into action through the following commitments:

• Learning from the past to build a better future.

• An all-councillor away day is built into the calendar.

• All councillors signing the pledge.

• Including the pledge in ‘Be a councillor’, member induction and welcome events.

• Including the pledge at the AGM/first Full Council of year.

• Committing to mediation and conflict resolution.

• Making it measurable.

Respect and inclusion

We treat one another with dignity, welcoming different voices

Our ambition

To be kind and respectful to each other's views. We aim to share, care, and be helpful, while understanding each other's emotions especially when disagreements arise. In moments of disagreement, we will respectfully disagree.

Group Leaders and the Mayor will show respect and inclusivity to all councillors. We will pay special attention to underrepresented voices and recognise the significance of new perspectives and voices amongst councillors.

Our behaviours

How our ambition shows up in practice.

• Giving space and time for others to speak

• Not talking over others; giving women councillors space to speak

• Listening to others. Not heckling/laughing. Holding inner thoughts and showing respect and care.

• We constructively challenge one another,  ensuring tone and behaviour is inclusive.

• Work with empathy and understanding.

• We take individual needs into account to ensure equitable access and inclusion for all. This does not diminish political difference or opposition roles; it focuses on ensuring all councillors can participate fully and fairly as individuals.

Actions required

Things that will enable the ambition/behaviours to stick.

• Keep talking to each other.

• Mentoring

• Officers will support and reinforce respect and inclusion in how we work together.

• Regular all group leaders and Mayor meetings will help identify and resolve issues early.

• Mayor and cabinet members to attend scrutiny.

Trend Measures

Signs that show whether the culture we want is taking root.

Signs of success:

• Councillors want to turn up for meetings.

• Heads-up on key issues.

• Cross-party openness about delivery.

• All groups to have time with officers.

Early warning s ignals:

• Negative feedback from and about councillors.

• Lack of timely information.

• Lack of communication on key policy/service issues.

Listening and working together

Collaborating across difference, valuing every contribution.

Our ambition

• As councillors we will be competent, knowledgeable and diverse, trustworthy role-models. We will listen to each other, take on views, be ourselves and be diplomatic.

• We will be professional, team players, bringing everyone's skills together to achieve collectively and with integrity.

Our behaviours

How our ambition shows up in practice.

• We act professionally, inclusively, transparently, and with respect.

• Being honest, truthful, and accepting.

• Not causing harm to others, for example, through our body language.

• Being open minded, modest, and not egotistical.

• Appreciating, understanding, and valuing different perspectives.

Actions required

Things that will enable the ambition/behaviours to stick.

• Training.

• Self-assessment.

• This pledge acts as a  simple shared ‘rulebook’ that sets expectations for how we work together.

• Keeping up to date.

• Mentoring, buddying and helping others.

• Lead by example.

• Officers being open and accessible and providing unbiased opinions.

Trend Measures

Signs that show whether the culture we want is taking root.

Signs of success:

• Opportunity to speak equally and women councillors given the respect and space to speak.

• Political environment is welcoming.

• Systems are working.

• Values-driven culture of listening and working together.

Early warning signals:

• Arguing, aggressive, shouting, disrespecting.

• Vexatious, personal or abusive attacks that detract from constructive scrutiny and accountability.

• Councillors not turning up, turning up late or leaving early.

Aspirational and future focused

Looking ahead with aspiration and openness

Our ambition

Working together for the Borough as a whole, which means:

• Continuously improving.

• Changing people's lives.

• Ambitious for our residents.

• Opportunities are open to everyone.

• Create an environment where everyone feels free to contribute in constructive ways.

Our behaviours

How our ambition shows up in practice.

• A mature council that invites different voices into engagement sessions. For example, not running ‘broadcast’ sessions.

• Being a council that listens.

• Committing to learning from the past to build a better future. This includes upholding high standards of integrity and accountability, while avoiding the use of past events as a tool for personal disruption.

• All political leaders setting an example.

• Balanced arguments in Full Council.

• Reframe arguments with more discussion.

• Act with respect always.

• Inspired by the diversity and interests of residents.

Actions required

Things that will enable the ambition/behaviours to stick.

• Full Council remains the primary forum for robust political debate, while committees focus on constructive, evidence-based scrutiny and shared problem-solving.

• Create regular spaces for reflection, learning and constructive feedback.

• Disagreement should not be an obstacle. We can disagree and move on.

• An all-councillor away day is built into the calendar.

• Regular informal discussions to build relationships.

• Peer to peer conversations are encouraged and informally supported.

Trend Measures

Signs that show whether the culture we want is taking root.

Signs of success:

• Respect each other.

• Positive relationships outside chamber.

• Openness in dialogue- uninhibited conversations with kindness.

Early warning signals:

• Frustration in dialogue.

Resident first leadership

Putting residents above politics.

Our ambition:

• Concentrate on what unites us rather than what divides.

• Prioritise residents’ needs in a fair and transparent way.

• Take a common sense approach to cater for everyone and not the few.

• Focus on our individual standards as politicians to respect and value the privilege and responsibility we have as elected members.

Our behaviours

How our ambition shows up in practice.

• Look first for unifying messages as a start point to debate differences.

• Be compassionate and nice to each other, be respectful.

• Self-reflection; be truthful with ourselves.

• Take our ambition into our council meetings.

• Create a safe environment where feedback is constructive and welcomed.

• Members feel free to be their authentic self and to greet and chat with all.

Actions required

Things that will enable the ambition/behaviours to stick.

• Reset how we interact with each other as councillors.

• Constructive two-way feedback.

• We create opportunities for informal connection and relationship-building outside formal meetings, recognising that trust supports better professional working relationships.

• Keep residents front-and-centre.

• Senior leaders live the standard and lead by example.

Trend Measures

Signs that show whether the culture we want is taking root.

Signs of success:

• Better cross-party conversations.

• Residents have increased confidence in the council’s collaborative culture Members feel able to share candid feedback without fear.

Early warning signals:

• Messages being passed via officers.

• Breakdown of cross-group communications.

• Escalation of intervention.

• Resident complaints indicate a decline in trust of councillors.

Transparency and accountability

Openly holding ourselves and each other to account.

Our ambition

• To be open, inclusive, and forward looking.

• Everyone has equal access to information, shared fairly and in good time.

• Members are proactive in seeking relevant information.

• Members are equipped to be able to be accountable to residents.

• We have robust scrutiny which focuses on policies and key decisions as well as holding all executive to account.

Our behaviours

How our ambition shows up in practice.

• We set ego aside and focus on what matters to residents.

• We keep residents at the core of our work and decision making.

• We debate constructively.

• We actively participate in scrutiny, working alongside the Executive to ensure accountability.

• Key members show visible leadership and involve others, so everyone feels included.

Actions required

Things that will enable the ambition/behaviours to stick.

• Scrutiny has a strong and aligned work plan.

• Cabinet and Mayor attend scrutiny as required.

• No surprises. Information should be shared in advance so everyone can contribute meaningfully.

• We are open, honest and sincere in our dealings with one another and residents.

• Officer training on member needs.

Trend Measures

Signs that show whether the culture we want is taking root.

Signs of success:

• Better informed and consulted members.

• Stronger scrutiny.

• Members feel empowered to be accountable.

Early warning signals:

• Increased points of conflict.

• Weak scrutiny sessions.

• Poor access to key information.

Civility in political debate

Robust challenge without personal attack, respectful and fair.

Our ambition

We believe in robust, fact-based debate between politicians that is both challenging and principled where people’s motivations and intentions are honourable, and disagreement is grounded in respect.

Civility does not mean avoiding challenge; it means engaging in debate with fairness, empathy and mutual regard.

In Tower Hamlets, our ambition is to build a democratic culture where scrutiny and challenge strengthen trust between councillors, officers and the public, demonstrating that open disagreement can coexist with respect and collaboration.

Our behaviours

How our ambition shows up in practice:

• We act as political rivals and debaters, not personal adversaries.

• We back up our arguments and challenges with evidence and facts.

• We reflect on our own motivations and behaviours, asking ourselves “why am I acting this way?”

• We respect equality of participation and put ourselves in others’ shoes.

• We use our positions of influence to model respectful conduct, especially in moments of disagreement or tension.

• We “challenge the idea, not the person”, maintaining a tone that invites engagement rather than defensiveness.

• We communicate using accessible, honest and inclusive language, avoiding inflammatory or intimidatory rhetoric.

• We recognise that the way we debate sets the tone for how officers, partners and residents experience the council’s culture.

• We will participate in regular reflection, feedback and learning on civility.

• We accept that we are not always right and can learn from others.

Actions required

Things that will enable the ambition/behaviours to stick:

• The Standards Committee will set and communicate clear expectations about what good conduct looks like.

• We will describe and promote examples of good and appropriate behaviour, drawing on external standards and good practice.

• We will embed civility training, mentoring and mediation in our political skills framework, ensuring that new and returning members understand expectations and cultural norms from the outset.

• We will adopt a simple informal process for early intervention providing confidential feedback and support when tone or behaviour misses the mark, in line with best practice on constructive culture change.

• The Mayor, Group Leaders and senior members will set the tone from the top, modelling respect and civility in every setting.

• Officers, including the Monitoring Officer, are encouraged to offer challenge and support where needed to uphold these standards.

Trend Measures

Signs that show whether the culture we want is taking root.

Signs of success:

• Our environment feels more inclusive. Debates can be robust, but respectful, and councillors from all groups contribute without fear of ridicule or hostility.

• There is an open and transparent dialogue with evidence and facts readily demonstrable.

• Council meetings and communications reflect balanced debate and mutual acknowledgement of differing viewpoints.

• Members and officers report feeling able to raise concerns about tone or behaviour safely and early.

Early warning signals:

• Increased instances of personal or dismissive language in debates or online exchanges, as reported through meeting records or informal feedback.

• Reduced participation in debates or discussions, indicating that some members may feel unable to contribute freely.

• Incidents of intimidation, harassment or online abuse rise, particularly towards independent and minority group councillors.

• Increased informal concerns or complaints about tone and behaviour rather than policy disagreements, signalling a potential culture issue.