The Standards Committee of Durham County Council met on 9 June 2025 to discuss standards issues affecting local government. The committee was scheduled to discuss updates to the Code of Conduct, the annual report of the committee, and the recruitment of independent persons. They were also scheduled to review the committee's work programme for the coming year.

Code of Conduct Complaints

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on complaints received by Durham County Council under the Code of Conduct for Members since the last meeting on 24 March 2025.

The report to the committee included a table which summarised complaints.

In total 11 complaints were received, details of which are contained within the table below;

The report also noted that complaints have taken longer to resolve due to staffing levels, workload, and the complexity of the matters raised.

The report also included costs associated with the complaints.

Members will note that at the committee in December 2024 it was agreed that the report would now include costs report of each complaint.

National Standards Issues

The Standards Committee was scheduled to discuss national standards issues affecting local government.

The report pack included summaries of two cases from other councils:

• A councillor at King's Lynn at West Norfolk Borough Council was recommended to be removed from the Planning Committee after sending emails to a peer who was sitting in a meeting which he could not attend.
• A Southampton councillor was found to be in breach of the authority's Code of Conduct for calling the interim Chief Executive a 'buffoon' on LinkedIn. The independent investigation into the matter cost £18,964.31. The report stated that considerable time was spent regarding the councillor's suggestion that the term 'buffoon' was not pejorative by considering the 1638 Oxford English Dictionary definition as compared to the modern understanding of the word and in particular the conclusions a member of the public might infer from the use of the term.

The report also mentioned that the independent Investigator recommended that Southampton Council should consider adopting the Local Government Association's Model Code to replace its current code to strengthen elements and supporting guidance.

Annual Report of the Standards Committee

The committee was scheduled to review the annual report of the Standards Committee for 2024/25. The report provided an overview of the work of the committee during the year and set out the future direction which the committee intends to take during 2025/26.

The report noted that the Standards Committee has continued to promote the principles and values of good governance within the council and across the county. It also stated that the members of the Standards Committee are committed and dedicated to ensuring that high standards of conduct are maintained by all local elected members.

The report included a breakdown of complaints regarding breaches of the Code of Conduct:

The report also included a comparison of costs of the Code of Conduct complaints for 2023/24 and 2024/25.

Committee Work Programme

The Standards Committee was scheduled to agree the Work Programme for 2025/26. The work programme provides the committee with the standing agenda items as well as the appointment of the Independent Persons who are due to be appointed in June 2025.

The committee agreed at its meeting in December 2022 to add the Debate Not Hate Campaign as a standing item.

Recruitment of Independent Persons

The Standards Committee was scheduled to consider extending the appointment of the two current Independent Persons to the Standards Committee and to agree to a recruitment exercise for a further two Independent Persons.

The council is required to appoint at least one Independent Person under section 28 of the Localism Act 2011.¹

The functions of the Independent Person in relation to Standards are:

• They must be consulted by the authority and their views taken into account before it makes a finding as to whether a member has failed to comply with the Code of Conduct or decides on action to be taken in respect to that member.
• They may be consulted by the authority in respect of a Standards complaint at any other stage; and
• They may be consulted by a member or co-opted member of the Council or a parish council against whom the complaint has been made.

The report noted that Councillor Alan Fletcher had served his maximum two terms and Steve Winder had advised that he is unable to continue for a second term. Chris Hugill and David Rogers have expressed an interest in continuing their role.

The proposed recruitment for the Independent Persons will broadly follow the same process as previously. The table below shows an indicative timetable for the recruitment process.