Issue - meetings

To consider revised arrangements for dealing with complaints against councillors.

The local arrangements had been updated following the issuing of revised best practice by the Local Government Association.

It was acknowledged that standards complaints were time consuming to administer and that there were a significant number of cases still awaiting resolution due to the number of complaints received.  The committee therefore hoped that the new arrangements, which clarified the Monitoring Officer’s authority on determining any initial action on the receipt of complaints, would result in speedier outcomes being reached in many cases.  Mechanisms, to ensure that complainants were kept apprised of progress on their complaints, had also been incorporated.

It was resolved that the revised arrangements for member code of conduct complains be approved.