Issue - meetings

The Town Clerk and Director of Corporate Resources submits a report seeking approval of the procedure for dealing with complaints against Councillors. The procedure is attached and is supported by the Group Whips.

The Town Clerk submitted a report seeking approval to a procedure for dealing with complaints against Councillors.  It was noted that this procedure also applied to co-opted and Independent Members.

The following amendments were proposed.

Paragraph 7

It was considered that this should be amended to provide that the Town Clerk should consult the Group Whips and the Chair of the Committee on how he should respond to complaints.

Paragraph 8(1)

It was also agreed that decisions taken by the Town Clerk, as referred to above, should be reported back to the Committee on a six monthly basis in the form of a statistical pattern of complaints rather than detailing individual cases.

Paragraphs 9, 10 and 11

It was agreed that there should be consistency in how time frames were referred to i.e. either in weeks or working days.

Paragraph 12

It was agreed that the complainant should also be entitled to be accompanied.

Paragraph 15(5)

It was agreed that the decisions with reasons should be sent to all parties involved.

General

a)            Agreed there should be reference to a timescale within which complaints should be settled.

b)            Agreed that a note be prepared for Whips giving guidance to 'limits' of types of complaints that should be referred to Committee, to be submitted for consideration at the next meeting of the Committee.

RESOLVED:

that, subject to the above amendments, the procedure for dealing with complaints against Councillors, be agreed.