News

MALICIOUS COMPLAINTS TO BE THROWN OUT BY STANDARDS BOARD

Dear Ed,

Ever since the inception of the legislative framework for Standards in Local Government, its aims and objectives have been continuously brought into disrepute by people using its processes to settle personal or political scores.

Many such cases are well documented in Shepway.

The Standards Board have brought in recommendations for changes which will now include rules regarding whistleblowing.

The changes will include the current duty of councillors to report fellow councillors for breaches of the code, which is to be removed because in the view of the Board: 'it has been used by a small number of councillors as a pretext for malicious and politically-motivated complaints.'

The Board also recognises in the new recommendations that : 'A better balance needs to be struck between protecting public decision-making from improper influence and allowing elected members to represent their constituents and communities in a proper manner.'

One of the overriding reasons for the Board to change the rules has been that more than 75% of complaints have in effect been dismissed, thus wasting valuable Standards Board resources.

Sadly these recommendations exclude a provision for any accused individual to be re-imbursed the cost of defending themselves, if the complaint is thrown out. 

This is contrary to existing legal procedures and has and will continue to encourage witch hunting.