The Standards and General Purposes Committee of Buckinghamshire Council was scheduled to meet on Thursday 23 April 2026. The meeting's agenda included an annual review of member code of conduct complaints for the 2025/26 period and the committee's work programme for the upcoming year.

Annual Review of Member Code of Conduct Complaints 2025/26

The committee was scheduled to review the annual report on Member Code of Conduct complaints for the 2025/26 period. This report detailed the complaints considered by the council and parish/town councils, outlining the nature and outcome of each. It also assessed the effectiveness of the council's complaints handling arrangements and identified learning points.

According to the report, 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 number of complaints received increased substantially compared to the previous year. A total of 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 individual councillors.

The most commonly cited aspect of the Code of Conduct in complaints was Respect, accounting for 68% of all complaints. This aligns with a national emphasis on civility and respect in local government. At the parish level, Bullying/Harassment was the second most common concern. The report also noted that 52% of all complaints came from the public, with a notable difference between Buckinghamshire Councillors (80% from the public) and parish/town councillors (26% from the public).

The report detailed the council's complaints process, which includes initial assessment, Stage One informal resolution, Stage Two determination by the Monitoring Officer, 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 highlighted potential future changes to the ethical standards regime at a national level, including the introduction of a mandatory code of conduct for all local authorities and new powers for suspending elected members.

Work Programme 2026-27

The committee was also scheduled to review its work programme for 2026-27. This programme outlined planned topics for future meetings, including quarterly reviews of Code of Conduct complaints and an annual report on complaints and feedback. The next scheduled meeting was provisionally set for 11 June 2026.