Members code of conduct - Complaints

Harborough District Council is committed to upholding high standards of conduct on the part of its members. However, things can go wrong and it is important steps are taken to put things right again. 

The law requires that the Council has specific “arrangements” in place to handle complaints against Harborough District Councillors, and Parish and Town Councillors within the Harborough area. 

The Council’s Monitoring Officer is the key individual responsible for overseeing complaints against Councillors. If you have a complaint, or are the subject of a complaint, they can guide you on how it will be dealt with, and answer any questions you have.  

The primary steps in how a complaint is considered are set out in full in the arrangements document. However, in summary: 

  1. The complaint is received. The Monitoring Officer undertakes an initial assessment, and either closes the complaint or refers it to the subject member for their views 
  2. If the complaint is referred to the subject member, once a response is received, the complaint is passed to an Independent Person for their views. The Monitoring Officer will then make a decision on whether the complaint can be resolved or requires further investigation. 
  3. If the complaint is investigated, an independent investigator will be appointed. Once their work is concluded, the complaint will be closed (if it is not upheld) or referred to a committee of Councillors to consider – the Standards Sub Committee, who will make a decision. 

It is worth bearing in mind that the Council has limited power to sanction Councillors where something has gone wrong. As a result, the primary emphasis in most cases is on remedial action to put things right – an apology, training, mediation etc, rather than punishment. Only the most serious, complex or high profile complaints are likely to result in a full investigation and consideration by the standards sub-committee. It should also be noted that if your complaint relates to unlawful behaviour, in the first instance this has to be considered by the Police. 

If you would like to submit a complaint against a Councillor, please use the complaint form attached below. You may also e-mail monitoring.officer@harborough.gov.uk with any queries.