What is outcome from Code of Conduct

Question

The clerk has made various complaints of bullying and intimidation and harassment against a councillor. There is probably equal evidence from the councillor of the clerk doing the same to the councillor BUT what happens if the monitoring officer and panel find that the councillor has breached the code of conduct? What can the clerk do and what happens to the councillor?

Answer 1

What can the Clerk do? Nothing (apart from perhaps feeling vindicated in making the complaint.) What happens to the Councillor? Virtually nothing.

Answer 2

It is very unfortunate that many councils have not moved into the 21st  century and realised that society has moved on. Whether to the betterment or not is for the individual to decide. Parish Councils have been cosy local areas which on the whole looked after their communities first and foremost by bending rules here and there but, getting the job done. Having a council which is still not even aware of what they can or should do and having no hard and fast rules to follow is it any wonder there is so much confusion and emergence of the strongest take the prize mentality. 

When one looks at our system sorry "feeding trough" imported from Europe, and disregard for morals and what is right, from the top down, where deceit, incompetence and corrupt lying brings rewards not consequences, is it any wonder decent people coming forward to serve their communities are an endangered  species and almost impossible to find.

I say sod the polar bear and the pada adopt a parish councillor

Answer 3

When a MO makes consistently flawed, illogical and unjustifiable findings it simply leads to ridicule and disregard.
Often a pointless exercise executed by unaccountable QUANGOs with virtually no executive authority.
Perfect for an inherently flawed and floundering system

Comments

When our Clerk complained about me the MO carried out a full investigation and apart from two minor points for which I wasn’t even asked to apologise I was cleared so I suppose it depends on your MO

In my case the real question was what happened to the Clerk who’s credibility was completely shredded in public at the hearing and was responsible for the waste of public money and the answer was nothing


Emboldened by this they recently at a public meeting accused the Chair of lying having earlier made vile personal comments about another Councillor

Answer 4

Simple a Councillor can appeal a decision of the MO

Comments

not in West Devon - it says the MOs decision is final and cannot be appealed

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Did the MO make the decision or was it the Audit and Governance (Hearing) Sub Committee ?

As at my Borough you have the right of appeal

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No decision yet - currently at stage 2 where the MO has triggered investigation....