The Principal Solicitor, Contentious and Corporate Governance, introduced her report providing an update on complaints received under the Members’ Code of Conduct during the period 1 September 2019 to 29 February 2020.  It was noted that:

·  Since the last report to the Committee on 16 September 2019, there had been two new Parish Council complaints.  The first was an allegation of failure to disclose a pecuniary interest to the Monitoring Officer within the required timeframe and the second was an allegation of bullying and bringing the Member’s office into disrepute.  Both complaints were currently under consideration.

·  No complaints had been made against Borough Councillors during this period.

In response to questions, the Principal Solicitor, Contentious and Corporate Governance, advised the Committee that:

·  She could not confirm whether the Parish Councillors concerned had received appropriate training, but training was available.  She had made a note of the suggestion by the Parish representative in attendance that if any further complaints were received against Parish Councillors, then the Parish Clerk(s) be asked whether the subject Members had received training, were they offered training and did they accept it.

·  Informal resolutions to complaints and sanctions following hearings allowed a requirement for training, so if there had been no training there was a high likelihood that it would be one of the recommendations.

RESOLVED:  That the update on complaints received under the Members’ Code of Conduct during the period 1 September 2019 to 29 February 2020 be noted.