Complaints about councillors reach highest level for five years

Complaints about councillors are at their highest level for five years, according to a new Brighton and Hove City Council report.

There were 42 complaints about councillors last year, compared with 32 in 2024, according to the report to the council’s Audit and Standards Committee.

The complaints were about 23 unnamed members of the council. In 2024, the 32 complaints were about 12 councillors but in 2023 – an election year – 27 different councillors were the subjects of complaints.

Councillors are currently not compelled to co-operate with investigations, which have been described as toothless because councils have no powers to suspend or disqualify those who breach the members code of conduct.

But the government published its response in November to a public consultation which supported introducing a mandatory code of conduct.

Measures that could feature in future legislation include

• A right to review for both the complainant and the subject of a complaint to have the case reassessed
• Powers for councils to suspend elected members for up to six months for serious rule breaches, with the option to withhold allowances for those suspended for the most serious breaches
• Powers to suspend elected members if they are under police investigation or awaiting sentence in a criminal court
• The prospect of disqualification for any elected member subject to the maximum period of suspension more than once in five years
• A new national appeals function to consider appeals from elected members against decisions to suspend them and/or withhold allowances and for complainants if they consider their complaint was mishandled

The report said: “Members will be mindful that the above changes will involve significant changes to the status quo.

“While primary legislation is needed to give effect to the above reforms, there is currently no indication of a likely timeframe.

“A watching brief will be maintained and the committee will be alerted once timescales become clear and the detail of the proposals is announced.”

The report on standards complaints showed that the public made 36 of the 42 complaints last year, with the other six made by fellow councillors.

The biggest number of complaints were about councillors’ conduct at council meetings, with 15 complaints.

A further 11 complaints were made about how councillors carried out their ward duties or other activities in their wards.

There were eight complaints about conduct related to council business outside council meetings, including on social media, and eight more about statements reported in the press and on social media.

Ten complaints from last year were still outstanding, the report said.

One complaint, made on Thursday 16 October, concerning a councillor’s conduct is subject to a formal investigation.

The Audit and Standards Committee is due to meet at Hove Town Hall at 2pm next Tuesday (27 January). The meeting is scheduled to be webcast.