Standards Committee

The Standards Committee is responsible for promoting and maintaining high standards of conduct by Councillors, Co-opted Members and Parish and Town Councillors. Its role includes giving the Council advice on adopting a Local Code of Conduct, monitoring the effectiveness of the Code and training Members on the Code.

Since May 2008 the Committee has been responsible for dealing with the initial assessment of complaints about Borough Councillors and Parish or Town Councillors.

Membership of the Committee

The Standards Committee is made up of 5 Borough Councillors, 5 representatives of the Parish and Town Councils in the Borough, and 4 independent people from the local community, who are not Councillors.  It is independent in the way it operates and is chaired by an independent member.  Another independent member is a joint vice chair. 

The agenda, reports and minutes of Standards Committee meetings can be viewed on the Council's website.

The Committee submits an Annual Report to full Council on its activities each municipal year.  Annual Report 2008-09

Complaints about Councillors

Complaints that the conduct of a member of the Borough Council or a member of a Town or Parish Council is in breach of the Code of Conduct for the Council in question should be made to the Council's Standards Committee who will decide whether a possible breach of the code of conduct is involved and what action to take.

Complaints must be made in writing and submitted to:

The Monitoring Officer
Solihull MBC Standards Committee
Council House
Solihull
B91 9QS

A form can be downloaded for you to complete or alternatively you can express your complaint in a letter which covers the points on the form. You should send copies of any documents which support your complaint.

If you cannot write your complaint in English, the Council can arrange for it to be translated for you.

If you have any questions or difficulties in completing the form please contact the Monitoring Officer on 0121 704 6721 or by email to legal@solihull.gov.uk

Who you can complain about?

The Standards Committee can only consider complaints about individual councillors or members. This includes Borough as well as Town and Parish Councillors.

The Standards Committee cannot consider complaints about the Council as a whole or about decisions made. In these cases you should take the matter up with your local ward councillor or town or parish councillor.

What can you complain about?

The Standards Committee can deal with complaints about the alleged behaviour and conduct of a Member.  A breach of the Code of Conduct may include:-

• Bullying
• Failing to treat others with respect
• Disclosing confidential information
• Accepting inappropriate gifts and hospitality or failing to declare gifts and hospitality valued over £25
• Disreputable conduct
• Misuse of Council facilities or resources
• Failing to declare a personal or prejudicial interest
• Having a prejudicial interest and failing to disclose it
• Failing to register interests

You can see the full text of the codes of conduct of the Borough and Town and Parish Councils.

Complaints which cannot be considered by the Standards Committee

• Complaints where a member is not named
• Complaints that are not in writing
• Incidents or actions which are not covered by the Code of Conduct
• Incidents that are about a fault in the way an authority has acted. For these complaints see the complaints page
• Complaints about the way in which a Town or Parish Council has acted could be taken up directly with that council (see contact details for town and parish councils)
• Complaints about Council employees (For complaints about employees see the complaints page
• Complaints about incidents which occurred before a member was elected

Before you complain

Note that the Standards Committee is unlikely to be able to keep your identity confidential from the person you are complaining about. Details of your complaint will normally be passed to the member you have complained about. If you think there are good reasons why the member should not be informed you should contact the Monitoring Officer.

What happens when you complain

Your complaint will be acknowledged and it will be placed before a small panel of members of the Standards Committee for initial assessment. This meeting will be held in private and none of the parties to the complaint will be able to attend. The panel will decide what action should be taken about the complaint.

You will be advised of the outcome of the panel meeting. If any action is to be taken you will be informed of the details.

What can I do if I am not satisfied with the decision on initial local assessment?

You can ask for the decision to be reviewed by a separate Standards Committee panel whose members have not take part in the decision. To request a review you should contact the Monitoring Officer.

 

Complaints about the Monitoring Officer

Our Corporate Complaints Procedure covers complaints about:

• the standard of service provided by the Monitoring Officer on behalf of the Standards Committee
• the behaviour of the Monitoring Officer, investigating officers and other staff
• any action or lack of action by the Monitoring Officer or staff affecting an individual or group

It does not cover:

• dissatisfaction with a decision made by the Standards Committee or Monitoring Officer
• Dissatisfaction with the findings of investigations carried out by an investigating officer
• Decisions about whether to refer an allegation to be investigated
  

Standards for England

More information about how the local standards framework operates can be found on the Standards for England website.