A report has called for the creation of a professional body for monitoring officers and a review of council structures to ensure their position within the ‘top tier of governance'.

The report by Lawyers in Local Government (LLG), law firm Browne Jacobson and the LGiU think-tank said monitoring officers ‘lack influence at the top table,' putting local authorities at ‘significant legal risk'.

Interviews with monitoring officers across England found they were ‘undermined' by a 'lack of effective statutory protection, the absence of meaningful sanctions, tensions with commercial objectives and a lack of seat at the top table'.

The report found that without a ‘robust standards and sanctions regime' monitoring officers often found themselves exposed to intimidation or other unprofessional behaviour ‘if they take a stand on enforcing legal norms' within councils.

LLG president Rachel McKoy said: ‘In a time of great instability in local government, we need to give the role of monitoring officer the respect it truly deserves.'

LGIU chief executive Jonathan Carr-West added the monitoring officer role had 'never been more important'.