The Standards and General Purposes Committee of Buckinghamshire Council is scheduled to consider requests for community governance reviews from two parish councils and review the latest figures on member code of conduct complaints. The committee will also receive a presentation on training and governance for local councils.

Community Governance Reviews for Parish Councils

The committee is scheduled to consider requests from two parish councils, Whaddon Parish Council and Watermead Parish Council, regarding changes to their governance structures. Both councils are seeking to increase the number of councillors they have.

Whaddon Parish Council is requesting to increase its membership from seven to ten councillors. This request is driven by anticipated significant housing growth within the parish, with planning approval for 1,265 new dwellings expected to increase the electorate by approximately 700%. The parish council believes that additional councillors are essential to manage the substantial increase in workload, support the integration of new communities, and ensure effective representation for both existing and future residents. The council notes that guidance from the National Association of Local Councils (NALC) and Aston Business School suggests that ten councillors would be appropriate for an electorate of 3,100.

Watermead Parish Council is requesting to increase its membership from seven to nine councillors. The council cites increasing demands on its resources and responsibilities due to community growth and evolving needs. An increase in councillors is intended to improve representation across the parish, particularly for younger residents, strengthen the council's capacity to manage its workload and committee responsibilities, and enhance resilience in decision-making. The council also highlights that an increase in councillors was part of the election manifesto for four of its successfully elected members in May 2025, indicating community support for this proposal.

If the committee agrees, a Community Governance Review Working Group will be established to determine whether to recommend the commencement of a review, draft terms of reference, and develop a consultation plan. Recommendations from this working group are expected to be presented to the committee on 21 January 2027, with formal consultation planned for February to March 2027. Any agreed changes would likely take effect in May 2028, coinciding with the next local elections.

Member Code of Conduct Complaints

The committee is scheduled to review the Member Code of Conduct Complaints – Quarter 1 2026/27 report. This report provides an overview of complaints opened and closed between April and June 2026.

According to the report, a total of twenty-four complaints were considered in Quarter 1: six concerning Buckinghamshire Council councillors and eighteen concerning parish and town councillors. Of these, no breaches of the Code of Conduct were found, although four complaints remained open at the time of the report. The report details the source of complaints, the alleged behaviour, and the outcome, with annexes providing more detailed information on the nature of the complaints.

The most common cause of complaint for both Buckinghamshire Council and parish/town councillors remains disrespect. However, the report indicates that this allegation has not been upheld in any of the closed cases. Compared to the previous quarter (Q4 2025/26), there has been a decrease in the number of complaints received for both Buckinghamshire Council councillors and for town and parish councils.

The report also outlines the council's arrangements for dealing with complaints, which include initial assessment, Stage One informal resolution, Stage Two determination by the Monitoring Officer, and Stage Three formal investigation. The committee is responsible for overseeing these arrangements and ensuring high standards of conduct from councillors, as required by the Localism Act 2011¹.

Presentation from the Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Association of Local Councils

The committee is scheduled to receive a presentation from Melinda Woof, Chief Executive Officer of the Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Association of Local Councils (BMKALC). The presentation will focus on BMKALC's involvement with training, governance, and standards at Parish and Town Councils. This aligns with the council's commitment to supporting local governance and ensuring ethical standards across all levels of local democracy.

Work Programme 2026/27

The committee will consider and note the Standards & General Purposes Committee Work Programme for 2026/27. This document outlines the planned topics for future meetings, including ongoing reviews of code of conduct complaints, community governance reviews, and updates on the council's constitution. The work programme helps to ensure that the committee addresses key governance and standards issues throughout the municipal year.