Deputy Monitoring Officer investigates the Monitoring Officer?

Question

Hi

Has anybody come across a situation where the Legal Services Team Manager, who is also the Deputy Monitoring Officer, has investigated a complaint against the Monitoring Officer, who is also the Chief Legal Officer?

Sam

Answer 1

No I haven’t but these people are employees not elected officials so it’s a staff issue

I would  have thought that in view of the status of the person it would have been better to have asked someone from another authority to handle it                       
Having read many posts about MO’s it strikes me that the quality of them varies significantly from one authority to another

Comments

Thanks Jules.  I agree, this supervisor/subordinate relationship must be a conflict of interest.

Answer 2

No -  but the Local Govt Ombudsman would be an appropriate body to complain  to about a Principal Authority Monitoring Officer.

Comments

Thanks again Graeme_r.  The investigation by the DPO into the MO arose from a complaint to the LGSCO about the MO's failures to take any action in respect of complaints that were given to the MO 6 months ago, which concern several PC members who had not registered any DPI.