The points listed below will help you decide the correct course of action to take when making your complaint. You should speak to the Monitoring Officer Will Bell (01724 296204).
The form that can be downloaded from this page can be used when making a complaint against a named councillor(s) although complaints by email or in letter form will also be accepted.
- Your complaint must be about conduct that occurred while the member(s) complained about were in office. Conduct of an individual before they were elected, co-opted or appointed to the authority, or after they have resigned or otherwise ceased to be a member, cannot be considered by the assessment sub-committee.
- The current Code of Conduct came into effect on 23 May 2007. If your complaint concerns matters that occurred before that date you should contact Will Bell before making your complaint to check whether it is within the jurisdiction of the assessment sub-committee to consider.
- Your complaint must be about one or more named members of North Lincolnshire Council or any of the Parish or Town Councils within North Lincolnshire.
- Your complaint must be that the member(s) has, or may have, breached the Code of Conduct. A copy of the Code of Conduct and frequently asked questions about the Code of Conduct are available on the Standards Board website. You may also contact Will Bell if you require further information.
- Complaints about dissatisfaction with a decision or action of the authority or one of its committees, a service provided by the authority or the authority's procedures do not fall within the jurisdiction of the standards committee. Complaints about the actions of people employed by the authority also do not fall within the jurisdiction of the standards committee.
- Your complaint must be in writing. If a disability prevents you from making your complaint in writing you may contact Steve Whittemore for assistance on 01724 296232 or email steve.whittemore@northlincs.gov.uk.
It is important to note that not every complaint that falls within the jurisdiction of the standards committee will be referred for investigation or other action.
The assessment sub-committee of the standards committee must decide whether this is appropriate. It will make this decision using assessment criteria set out in Standards Board guidance.
If the assessment sub-committee decides not to refer your complaint for investigation or other action it will give you the reasons for this decision. It will also explain any right that you may have to ask for the decision to be reviewed.