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Councillors

Information for potential complainants

What a complaint must cover

The Council's Standards Committee and its sub-committees can only deal with complaints about the behaviour of a Councillor. It can not deal with complaints about things that are not covered by the Members' Code of Conduct. If you make a complaint, it must be about why you think a Member has not followed the Code of Conduct.

The Code of Conduct for Members can be viewed as part of the The Constitution: Code of conduct for members .

Complaints regarding less serious matters will be referred to the Council’s Monitoring Officer on behalf of the Standards Committee. The Monitoring Officer will investigate the complaint, and take appropriate action (e.g. training or conciliation).

In the event of a complaint being serious, it may be referred by the Standards Committee to the Standards Board for England for investigation.

Please note: The Committee can only deal with complaints about the alleged behaviour and conduct of a Member or Councillor as set out in the Code of Conduct. Frivolous, vexatious and politically motivated complaints are likely to be rejected. The Committee will not deal with complaints about any of the Council’s departments, or matters not covered by the Council’s Code of Conduct.

What this means to you

If you want to make a complaint about the conduct of a Member or Councillor, you must send your complaint in writing to the address shown below. Fill in the Complaint Form  and include any relevant evidence to support your claim. The form is also available from the Monitoring Officer at the address shown below.

If you are unsure about any aspect of the process, please contact the Monitoring Officer before submitting any complaint(s).

What you should do if you wish to complain

You should

• Talk to the Council's Monitoring Officer for general advice.
  Contact Bernadette Livesey on 01422 393063 or e-mail:  bernadette.livesey@calderdale.gov.uk .
• Fill in the complaints form.

  Complaints Form [PDF file 123KB]|

  If you would rather write a letter, you must ensure your letter covers all the areas on the complaint form.
• Send the complaint by post or fax to the address below, within 3 months of the alleged breach of the Code of Conduct. If your complaint is sent later then this, you must explain fully as to why the complaint is being sent later than three months after the alleged breach.

• Name:
• The Monitoring Officer
• Address:
• Calderdale MBC
  Town Hall
  Halifax HX1 1UJ
• Fax:
• 01422 393073.

What happens after that?

Once a complaint has been received by the Monitoring Officer, it will be presented to a meeting of the Assessment Sub-Committee of the Standards Committee for consideration / determination.

This will happen within 20 working days.

You and the Councillor against whom the complaint has been made will not be allowed to attend the deliberations of the Sub-Committee as the matter will be considered in private.

What can the Sub-Committee decide?

The Sub-Committee may decide to

• Dismiss your complaint, with reasons
• Ask you for additional information, with reasons
• Refer your complaint to the Monitoring Officer for investigation or other action, or
• Refer your complaint to the Standards Board for England

After the meeting, we will contact you to let you know what has been decided. We will also give you any information you need about what will happen next.

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