Complain about a Councillor

If you believe a Councillor (Borough, Town or Parish) or Co-opted Member has breached their code of conduct, you can make a complaint.

*A Co-opted Member is a voting Member of the authority or one of its committees who was appointed to their position rather than elected.

Complaints we cannot consider

We cannot consider:

• complaints where a member is not named
• complaints that are not in writing
• incidents or actions not covered by the Code of Conduct
• complaints about incidents which occurred before a member was elected
• complaints about how the council or a council employee has acted - you should make a complaint about council services
• complaints about the way a town or parish council has acted - you should contact the Parish Council

Evidence

It is essential that you give evidence to support your complain. We need detailed information from you - the more the better.

You must provide evidence to support your complaint, such as:

• copies of correspondence
• documents
• names and details of witnesses
• any other evidence that is relevant 

You should send evidence by email to akinsey@solihull.gov.uk or via post to:

The Monitoring Officer
Council House
Manor Square
Solihull
West Midlands
B91 2QB

Make a complaint

Please use our complaints form.

Complain about a Councillor

You can also post your complaint.

Download a Councillor complaints form

Confidentiality

We are unlikely to be able to keep your identity confidential from the person you are complaining about. If you think there are good reasons why they should not be informed, please discuss this with the Monitoring Officer.

What happens next

We will:

• investigate your complaint by following our Code of Conduct Complaint Procedure.
• consider your complaint in consultation with the member’s political group leader (if they belong to a political group)

We must consult an Independent Person if we decide to investigate an allegation that the code of conduct has been breached. The member who is under investigation may also consult an Independent Person.

You will be advised of the outcome of the complaint and if any action is to be taken.

Complaints that we investigate

A complaint will only be referred for investigation if:

• it's serious enough, if proven, to justify the costs of an investigation
• it's part of a continuing pattern of less serious misconduct that is unreasonably disrupting the business of the council and there is no other avenue left to deal with it
• the conduct complained of occurred within six months of the date the complaint was received

Complaints that we do not investigate

Complaints will not normally be referred for investigation if:

• the Monitoring Officer believes it to be malicious, relatively minor, or tit-for-tat
• the same, or substantially similar, complaint has already been the subject of an investigation or inquiry and there is nothing further to be gained
• the complaint concerns acts carried out in the subject member’s private life, when they are not carrying out the work of the authority or have not misused their position as a councillor
• the complaint is about dissatisfaction with a council decision
• there is not enough information currently available to justify a decision to refer the matter for investigation
• an informal resolution has been achieved

Complaints about the Monitoring Officer

You can complain to the council if you are are unhappy about the service or behaviour of the Monitoring Officer

This does not apply if you disagree with their decision.