The Standards and General Purposes Committee of Buckinghamshire Council was scheduled to review the annual report on Member Code of Conduct complaints for the 2025/26 period and to consider the committee's work programme for the upcoming year. The meeting's agenda focused on the council's ethical governance and the processes for handling complaints against councillors.

Annual Review of Member Code of Conduct Complaints 2025/26

The committee was set to receive and comment on the annual review of Member Code of Conduct complaints for the 2025/26 financial year. This report, authored by Lisa Marie Williams, Assistant Chief Executive, and with Glenn Watson, Senior Governance Manager, as the contact officer, aimed to provide an overview of complaints considered and assess the effectiveness of the council's procedures for handling them.

Key findings from the report indicated that no breaches of the Code of Conduct were found against Buckinghamshire Councillors or any parish or town councillors during the 2025/26 period. However, the report highlighted an increase in the number of complaints received compared to the previous year. In total, 52 complaints were made against Buckinghamshire Councillors, with 27 individual councillors being the subject of at least one complaint. Similarly, 57 complaints were made against parish and town councillors, involving 34 individuals.

The most commonly cited aspect of the Code of Conduct in complaints was Respect, accounting for 68% of all complaints. Bullying/Harassment was the second most frequent concern, particularly at the parish level. The report also detailed the source of complaints, with 52% originating from the public.

The effectiveness of the council's complaints arrangements was also under review. The report outlined a multi-stage process, including initial assessment, Stage One (informal resolution), Stage Two (Monitoring Officer determination), and Stage Three (formal investigation). It was noted that 87% of complaints were dealt with within expected timeframes, and 100% were resolved without the need for escalation to a hearing.

The report also touched upon potential future changes to the ethical standards regime at a national level, stemming from a government consultation. These proposed changes include the introduction of a mandatory code of conduct for all local authorities, the requirement for formal standards committees, and new powers for authorities to suspend elected members for serious breaches.

Training on the Member Code of Conduct was also highlighted, with sessions held for new councillors following the May 2025 elections and joint training delivered for Parish Councillors and Clerks in October 2025.

The report included detailed annexes outlining specific complaints considered for both Buckinghamshire Councillors and those from parish and town councils, along with their outcomes.

Work Programme 2026-27

The committee was also scheduled to review its work programme for the 2026-27 period. This programme included regular reviews of Code of Conduct complaints on a quarterly basis, as well as the annual review of complaints and feedback, and the Local Government Standards Commissioner's Office (LGSCO) annual letter. The work programme aims to ensure ongoing oversight of ethical standards and the complaints process throughout the year.

The meeting documents can be accessed via the following links:

• Agenda frontsheet 23rd-Apr-2026 14.00 Standards and General Purposes Committee
• Public reports pack 23rd-Apr-2026 14.00 Standards and General Purposes Committee