Agenda item

Complaints Update and National Policy Changes

The Committee will receive the Monitoring Officer’s update regarding standards complaints and an update to the National Policy changes.

Minutes:

The Committee had before it the Monitoring Officer’s update on existing and new conduct complaints cases.

 

TENDRING DISTRICT COUNCIL MONITORING OFFICER UPDATE APRIL 2025

 

Council

Complainant

Current status

Final outcome

Comments

Existing Cases from last update:

 

Council

Complainant

Current status

Final outcome

Comments

DISTRICT

METROPOLITAN BOROUGH COUNCILLOR – received 18 August 2023

CLOSED

 

Standards Hearing – determined breach of Code of Conduct – Committee sanctions published on Council’s website

 

Subject Member has sadly passed away.

TOWN

PUBLIC - received 05 Jun 2024

CLOSED

07 Mar 2025

Investigation concluded – conducted by externally appointed Investigator

 

 

Matter relates to behaviour whilst acting in an official capacity. 

 

A final report has been received and submitted to all parties.

 

No evidence of a breach of Code of Conduct.

 

TOWN

PUBLIC – received 05 Dec 2024

ONGOING

Investigation – internally appointed Investigator

 

Matter relates to use of social media.

TOWN

PUBLIC – received 05 Dec 2024

ONGOING

Pending

Matter relates to public statements on the Town Council’s website.

 

PARISH

PARISH COUNCILLOR – received 05 Mar 2025

ONGOING

Pending

Matter relates to behaviour between Parish Councillors whilst acting in an official capacity.

 

DISTRICT

PUBLIC – received 11 Mar 2025

ONGOING

Pending

Matter relates to communications between parties.

 

New Cases since last update - two

 

General Notes – 2024/25 Summary: 

 

Overall, eleven cases had been received so far in 2024/25. 

Since the last update, one case investigation had been concluded by the externally appointed investigator, one remained ongoing being investigated by an internally appointed investigator and three remained ongoing.

 

Requests for dispensations: 

 

A dispensation for all District Members had been granted by the Monitoring Officer for the purpose of the report of the Director (Finance & IT) – Formal Confirmation of Council Tax Amounts for 2025/26 submitted to Full Council and Human Resources & Council Tax Committee in February 2025.

 

 

Officers updated the Committee with the latest updates since the report had been published:-

 

-       A Parish case was now into investigation with an internally appointed investigator;

-       Last District case had been closed, and Code of Conduct training was to be given by the Monitoring Officer; and

-       A further 4 cases had been received, 2 were for the same Councillor by the same complainant but for different reasons and the other 2 were from the same complainant but for 2 different Councillors.

 

The Monitoring Officer gave a presentation to Members on the following national matters:-

 

-       Welsh Community Councils: non-compliant registers of interests – April 24;

-       Auditors’ call for improved member-officer relations at council 2nd year running – April 24;

-       Statutory Guidance on best value standards and interventions – May 2024;

-       Seven themes to define best value;

-       Theme 4. Culture;

-       Mooney v Information Commissioner (18 June 2024);

-       The Appellant was not the Complainant;

-       The balancing test in respect of the third-party complainants’ personal data;

-       Spelthorne Borough Council – Oct & Dec ’24;

-       SBC Standards Committee Minutes – Dec 24;

-       English Devolution White Paper – Dec 24;

-       Consultation following the White Paper – December 24;

-       The Committee for Standards in Public Life backs stricter standards regime – March 25;

-       £20,000 in damages to Parish Clerk over defamatory Facebook posts by Councillor – Feb 25;

-       Back to Spelthorne Borough Council – Damning best value report – March 25; and

-       All about the money or culture of mistrust and broken relationships?

 

The Committee NOTED the foregoing.

Supporting documents: