Issue - meetings

To receive the report.

Contact: David Stickley, Legal Services

That the report be noted.

The Committee received an update from the Monitoring Officer on complaints made under the Members’ Code of Conduct between 1 March and 31 August 2025. The Committee was informed that 11 complaints had been received during this period, 10 of which related to Kirklees Councillors and one to a Town or Parish Councillor. Of these, two were not pursued, four were not progressed beyond initial assessment, one was resolved informally, and one resulted in a finding of breach. Three complaints remained under investigation at the time of reporting. The Committee also noted that of the nine complaints carried forward from the previous reporting period, five resulted in findings of breach, three were dismissed at the initial stage, and one was resolved informally.

A comparison with the previous reporting period revealed a significant decrease in the number of complaints, from 22 to 11, continuing a downward trend. The nature of the complaints in the current period primarily concerned social media conduct, correspondence, and failure to comply with previous sanctions. It was noted that most complaints were submitted by members of the public, with only one from an officer and none from councillors. The committee was also updated on published decisions, which now only include upheld complaints. The Committee acknowledged the potential influence of the absence of elections in 2025 on the reduced volume of complaints.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.