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Complain about a councillor

How to make a complaint about a councillor and what the process is in order to make the complaint.

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How do I make a complaint against a councillor or member of a committee?

Report a complaint against a councillor or member of a committee

Alternatively, you can send your complaint by the following means:

Email: standards@eastriding.gov.uk

In writing to:

The Monitoring Officer
Director of Legal and Democratic Services
East Riding of Yorkshire Council
County Hall
Cross Street
Beverley
East Riding of Yorkshire
HU17 9BA.


Please note: the Standards Committee is only able to consider complaints about the conduct of individual councillors when they are acting in their 'official capacity' (in other words, when they are acting as a councillor). The committee has no legal authority to consider the following complaints:

  • A complaint about the actions of an individual when they are acting in their private capacity. Just because someone is/is known to be a councillor does not mean that they are always acting as such. For example, the committee would be unable to consider a complaint about an individual who is known to be a councillor but does not refer to themselves as such, or does not refer to council business, and who swears at someone in the street and/or attempts to push them. Such a complaint could, however, be made to the police.
  • A complaint about a decision taken by a whole council or committee, including whether a set of minutes from a previous meeting were an accurate reflection of the decisions taken at that meeting. Any complaint about a decision of a council or committee as a whole should be raised with the council concerned.
  • A complaint about the behaviour of a member of staff (such as the actions of a town or parish council clerk). Such a complaint should be addressed to the employing town or parish council.

What happens when a complaint is received about a Councillor’s conduct?

When a complaint is submitted about a councillor the complainant will receive an acknowledgement that it has been received by the council.

The monitoring officer will then consider whether the complaint should be accepted (for example, is it about something that is within the jurisdiction of the council to consider or is it about matters outside of the council’s remit).

If it is accepted, the monitoring officer will decide whether it should be forwarded to the Standards Committee Assessment Sub-committee for consideration, or whether it could be more appropriately dealt with via some form of monitoring officer informal 'other action'.

If a complaint proceeds to the Standards Committee Assessment Sub-committee, that sub-committee will decide whether it should be formally investigated, it should be referred for 'other action', or that no further action is necessary.

'Other action' is an alternative to investigation. If a decision is made, either by the monitoring officer or the Standards Committee Assessment Sub-committee, to use 'other action' there is no finding made that there has or has not been a breach of the Code of Conduct.

'Other action' can allow issues to be dealt with in a more timely, yet still productive manner. Examples of 'other action' would include the monitoring officer writing to, or speaking with, a councillor or councillors, or a whole council, to remind them about the provisions of the Code of Conduct, or connected issues, or in relation to the registration or declaration of interests.

The full details of how complaints are dealt with are set out in the Standards Committee's adopted process and procedures.

The process and procedures followed once a complaint has been made can be viewed on the Standards Committee Assessment Sub-Committee page.

Where can I find more information?

For more information please visit the Standards Committee page.

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