FOI request (FOIR-576520544)

Councillor standards

Requested Thu 11 January 2024
Responded Mon 12 February 2024

The information I request is as follows:

1. In the last 5 years how many complaints has your council received against members of the council?

2. Can you give the above figure broken down by year?

3. How many complaints were progressed to an investigation?

4. How many complaints led to some form of standards hearing?

5. In those cases that progressed to a standards hearing, what were the charges/allegations/complaints and how many of those were upheld/found to be proved against the councillor?

6. Where allegation were upheld/found to be proved, what sanctions, penalties or punishments were imposed?

7. Please can you break the answers to 3-6 down by year or give dates for the investigations and hearings?

---

Response

1. 14

2.

2019 - 6

2020 - 2

2021 - 1

2022 - 1

2023 - 4

3.

2019 - 6

2020 - 1

2021 - 1

2022 - 1

2023 - 0

4.

2019 - 3 (Assessment hearings)

2020 - 1 (Assessment hearing)

2021 - 1 (Assessment hearing)

2022 - 1 (Full hearing)

2023 - 0

5. Allegations:

2019 - Assessment hearing on 9th July 2019.

That the Councillor breached the following parts of the Code of Conduct:

Section 3(1) - You must treat others with respect.

Section 5 - You must not conduct yourself in a manner which could reasonably be regarded as bringing your office or authority into disrepute.

The Committee concluded that the Code was not engaged.

2019 - Assessment hearing on 19th August 2019./p>

That the Councillor breached the following parts of the Code of Conduct:

Section 1(1) - This Code applies to you as a Councillor or co-opted member of the authority, when acting in that capacity.

Section 1(2) - This Code is based upon seven principles fundamental to public service, which are set out above. You should have regard to these principles as they will help you to comply with the Code.

Section 2(1) - Subject to sub-paragraphs (2) and (3), you must comply with this Code whenever you - (a) conduct the business of your authority (which, in this Code, includes the business of the office to which you are elected or appointed);

Section 3(b) - (2) You must not - (b) bully any person.

Section 5 - You must not conduct yourself in a manner which could reasonably be regarded as bringing your office or authority into disrepute.

The Committee concluded that the Code was not engaged.

2019 - Assessment hearing on 20th September 2019.

That the Councillor breached the following parts of the Code of Conduct (4 complaints regarding this):

Section 3-(1): You must treat others with respect.

Section 3-(2)(a) You must not - do anything which may cause your authority to breach any of its equalities duties (in particular as set out in the Equality Act 2010).

The Committee concluded that the Code was not engaged.

2020 - Assessment hearing on 12th November 2020.

That the Councillor breached the following parts of the Code of Conduct:

Section 3(1) - You must treat others with respect.

Section 3(2) (b) - You must not bully any person.

Section 5 - You must not conduct yourself in a manner which could reasonably be regarded as bringing your office into dispute.

The Committee concluded that the Code was not engaged.

2021 - Assessment hearing on 15th December 2021.

That the Councillor breached the following parts of the Code of Conduct:

Section 3 - (1): You must treat others with respect.

Section 3 - (2)(a) You must not - do anything which may cause your authority to breach any of its equalities duties (in particular as set out in the Equality Act 2010). (b) bully any person. (upheld)

Section 5 - You must not conduct yourself in a manner which could reasonably be regarded as bringing your office or authority into disrepute.

Section 6 - (a) You must not use your position as a councillor or co-opted member improperly to confer on or secure for yourself or any other person, an advantage or disadvantage.

The committee concluded there was a case to answer and requested a full Standards Committee hearing.

2022 - Full hearing on 23rd February 2022.

That the Councillor breached the following parts of the Code of Conduct:

Section 3 - (1) - You must treat others with respect. (Upheld)

Section 3 - (2)(a) - You must not- do anything which may cause your authority to breach any of its equalities duties (in particular as set out in the Equality Act 2010). (b) bully any person. (upheld)

Section 5 - You must not conduct yourself in a manner which could reasonably be regarded as bringing your office or authority into disrepute.

Section 6 - (a) You must not use your position as a councillor or co-opted member improperly to confer on or secure for yourself or any other person, an advantage or disadvantage. (upheld)

6. One-to-one training with the Monitoring Officer on the Code of Conduct and one-to-one training with the appropriate officer on social media.

7. Dates and years given above.

Further information can be found on our website via the following link:

https://hastings.moderngov.co.uk/mgCommitteeDetails.aspx?ID=187