Changes to the Complaints Procedure

From 8th May 2008 the responsibility for considering complaints that a member may have breached the Code of Conduct has moved to the Standards Committee of local authorities.

What this means to you

An assessment sub-committee of the Standards Committee, who will initially consider your complaint, can only deal with complaints about the behaviour of a member. It will not deal with complaints about such things that are covered by the Members' Code of Conduct, such as complaints about service issues, for which there are other complaints procedures.

If you make a complaint to the assessment sub-committee, you must explain clearly in your written complaint why you think a member has breached the Members' Code of Conduct.

How to complain about Councillor conduct

You can complain to the Council's Standards Committee that a Councillor or a Co-opted Member has not observed the statutory Code of Conduct for Members.

You should send your complaint form to:

The Standards Sub-Committee

c/o Mick Steward

15th Floor City Hall

64 Victoria Street

London SW1E 6QP

How are Complaints against Councillors Dealt with?

A Sub-Committee of the Standards Committee will look at your complaint and decide whether to take any action. It may refer the complaint to the Council's Monitoring Officer to investigate or to take some other action. In exceptional cases it may refer it to the Standards Board for England.

Further information:

Standards Committee Report - The New Locally Based Standards Framework

Changes to Procedure Poster

Contact: standardscommittee@westminster.gov.uk