The Standards Committee of Wiltshire Council met on Tuesday 30 June 2026, where they discussed the status of code of conduct complaints and made appointments to sub-committees. The committee also reviewed proposed changes to the council's constitution, with some changes being recommended for adoption and others deferred.

Status Report on Code of Conduct Complaints

Henry Powell, the Democracy and Complaints Manager, presented a status report on code of conduct complaints received by Wiltshire Council. He noted that in the most recent quarter (quarter one of the current year), 29 complaints were received, which, while appearing low at first glance, is the third highest total ever recorded and the busiest quarter one on record. Mr. Powell highlighted that while the overall number of complaints is increasing, the proportion progressing to formal investigation has not, indicating that more complaints are being dismissed at the initial assessment stage. Of the complaints received in the last quarter, 21% were against Wiltshire councillors, 24% against town and city councillors, and 55% against parish councillors. The council is meeting its targets for assessing complaints within an average of 4.9 working days and referring them to the assessment sub-committee within four working days.

Councillor Ruth Hopkinson commented on the nuances of complaints, particularly within parish councils, suggesting that some complaints stem from breakdowns in relationships rather than serious misconduct. Councillor Andrew Matthews, Vice-Chair of the Standards Committee, commended the team for maintaining their metrics despite the increase in complaints without additional resources.

Questions were raised about the seasonal spike in complaints in the latter half of the year, which Mr. Powell attributed to factors like school holidays and people being less likely to travel. He also addressed the increasing trend of complaints, noting that other unitary authorities are experiencing similar rises. The committee discussed the difficulty in refining guidance for complainants without discouraging legitimate concerns, particularly regarding issues like perceived disrespect and conflicts of interest.

The committee resolved to note the report.

Appointments to Sub-Committees and Focus Groups

The committee was asked to appoint the membership of the Standards Assessment Sub-Committee for the forthcoming year and confirm the terms of reference for the Constitution Focus Group and the standards representative on that group.

For the Standards Assessment Sub-Committee, the existing members – Councillors Ernie Clark, Ruth Hopkinson, Dave Lumsden, Sam Pierce-Kearney, and Stuart Wheeler – indicated their wish to continue. Two additional members, Councillors Elizabeth Threlfall and Ben Reid, also volunteered. The committee agreed to reappoint the existing five members.

Councillor Ruth Hopkinson was confirmed as the committee's representative on the Constitution Focus Group for the forthcoming year. The terms of reference for the focus group were also agreed.

Constitutional Changes

The committee considered proposed changes to the council's constitution, primarily concerning Public Rights of Way procedures and Council Rules of Procedure.

Public Rights of Way Committee Procedure: Kieran Elliott, Democracy Manager, explained that recommendations from the Constitution Focus Group regarding changes to the Public Rights of Way procedure had been considered by Full Council. Councillor Christopher Newbury had raised concerns, leading Full Council to refer the matter back to the focus group. The focus group reconsidered the proposals, which aim to streamline the process for dealing with objections to legal orders affecting public rights of way. The proposed changes would introduce a call-in element, similar to planning applications, allowing local members to request that an Area Planning Committee considers an order, even if it would otherwise be determined by officers or sent to the Secretary of State. This aims to balance efficiency with democratic oversight. The focus group agreed with the principle of the changes and firmed up the wording to address concerns. The committee recommended these changes to Full Council for adoption.

Council Rules of Procedure: The committee also reviewed proposed changes to the Council Rules of Procedure, which included aspects like reducing speaking times from five minutes to three minutes, enabling recorded votes for certain elections, and other minor clarifications. These changes had also been referred back to the focus group by Full Council following amendments proposed by Councillor Richard Kluwer and Councillor Ed Rimmer. The focus group had re-examined these proposals and made revisions. The committee recommended these changes to Full Council, with the exception of Part 4 of the constitution, which was deferred to a later meeting.

Councillor Ruth Hopkinson noted that the changes were largely tweaking rather than fundamental alterations, aimed at streamlining meetings while balancing democratic principles. Councillor Elizabeth Threlfall sought clarification on notification procedures for proposed changes, which was confirmed by Mr. Elliott.

The committee recommended the changes to Section 2.2 and Part 3D(3) of the Constitution concerning Area Planning Committee terms of reference and delegation for Public Rights of Way to Full Council. However, the proposed changes to Part 4 of the Constitution were deferred to the Standards Committee meeting on 29 September 2026.