Committee details

Standards Committee

Purpose of committee

The purpose of the Standards Committee at Cheltenham Borough Council is to help maintain and promote high standards of conduct, assist Members and Co-opted Members of the Borough Council and *Parish Councils within the area of Cheltenham to observe the Code of Conduct and monitor the operation of the Code.  The Committee is made up of 7 Borough Councillors and 2 Independent Persons who are co-opted on to the Committee and do not have voting rights. 

 

*The Codes of Conduct for Parish Councillors can be obtained from their respective Clerks, but it may be helpful to know that most are similar to the Borough Council’s Code.

 

The Standards Committee and its (Hearing) Sub-Committee can only deal with complaints about the behaviour of a Member.  It will not deal with complaints about things that are not covered by the Members’ Code of Conduct.  If you make a complaint to the Standards Committee you must use the complaint form and be clear about why you think a Member has not followed the Code of Conduct. 

 

The Standards Committee will not look at complaints that are about;

 

  • Staff employed by the Council.
  • Incidents that happened before a Member was elected or chose to serve.
  • Incidents that happened before 23 May 2002, when the Council originally adopted the Model Code of Conduct.
  • The way the Council conducts or records its meetings.
  • The way the Council has or had not done something.  This may be a matter for the Local Government Ombudsman if the Council has not dealt with the matter properly and it has not been resolved locally.
  • Decisions of the Council or its Cabinet or one of the services the Council provides.  In this case, you should complain using the Council’s corporate complaints system.

 

Click here for more information on making a complaint about the conduct of a Cheltenham Borough Councillor, Co-opted Member or a Parish Councillor.  If you have any other queries please contact Democratic Services.

 

More information about the Standards Committee is available in the Council’s constitution.

Membership

Contact information

Support officer: Bev Thomas, Democratic Services Team Leader.

Phone: 01242 264246

Email: Democratic.Services@cheltenham.gov.uk