In accordance with the Localism Act 2011, the Council has appointed one independent person (Ms Amanda Thomlinson).
The independent person must be consulted before the Standards Committee or Hearing Committee makes a decision on a complaint that has been investigated.
The independent person will be in attendance at meetings of the Standards Committee or Hearing Committee when a decision is to be made on a complaint that has been investigated.
The independent person is not a member of the Standards Committee and does not have voting rights.
The council has also chosen to appoint one reserve independent person (Ms Christine Bainton) in the event that the independent person is unable to participate in the process.