Appendix 1: Complaint data previously reported as not yet determined to the April meeting of Audit & Standards Committee

Table 1

	Date received	Date determined	If concluded, basis on which decision was taken	Complaint Topic	Additional notes
I2024	26January 2024	Determined by decision to take no action at preliminary assessment stage on 18 April 2024	A formal investigation was not considered proportionate and necessary in the public interest in light of the fact that the subject member had apologised via this process to the member who made the complaint.	B	Complaint by an elected member against another member alleging that they had breached the Code of Conduct at a Council meeting.
M2024	15 February 2024	Determined by decision to take no action at preliminary assessment stage on 18 April 2024	Insufficient evidence of a breach of the Code was provided to merit progressing the complaint to formal investigation.	A	Complaint against member alleging that they failed to respond to emails and/or a Freedom of Information Request.
N2024	24 February 2024	Determined by decision to take no action at preliminary assessment stage on 8 May 2024	Formal investigation considered neither necessary nor proportionate in the public interest, having taken the view that there was insufficient evidence of a breach of the Code.	B	Complaint against alleging misconduct when an attendee sought to distribute printed material at a Council-hosted event despite ‘no-leafletting’ expectations.
O2024	12 March 2024	Determined by decision to take no action at preliminary assessment stage on 8 May 2024.	As the member’s conduct was not considered to be capable of amounting to the Code, the view was taken that a formal investigation of the complaint was neither necessary nor in the public interest as there was insufficient evidence to support a breach of the Code.	B	Complaint alleging misconduct by a different member to N2024 at the same event.
P2024	10 March 2024	Determined by decision to take no action at preliminary assessment stage on 15 May 2024.	Insufficient evidence of a breach of the Members Code of Conduct was considered to have been supplied to merit this complaint being progressed. Formal investigation of the complaint considered to be neither necessary nor in the public interest.	C	Multi-faceted complaint about a member’s conduct in their ward, including allegations of harassment and bullying.

Table 2: Complaints received in since 1^st April 2024

Case No	Date	Status of complaint	If concluded, basis on which decision was taken	Complaint Topic	Additional notes
Q2024	5 April 2024	Determined by decision to take no action at preliminary assessment stage on 15 May 2024.	Sufficient evidence of conduct complained capable of amounting to a breach of the Members Code of Conduct was not considered to have been provided and a formal investigation of the complaint was considered to be neither necessary nor proportionate.	A	Complaint against member alleging failures to respond to ongoing comms which despite being  framed as child safeguarding concerns were not considered to meet the Council’s child safeguarding criteria.
R2024	14 April 2024	Remains at Preliminary Assessment stage.	N/A	C	Complaint about a member’s comments via social media regarding a petition organised by a lobbying group within a different political party to that of the complainant.
S2024	22 April 2024	Remains at Preliminary Assessment stage.	N/A	B	Complaint against member alleging misconduct at a Full Council meeting during discussion about matters relating to Transgender policy in schools. Additional complaint about the member’s comments on the same topic via social media.
T2024	28 May 2024	NFA	Individual is no longer a member, so the allegation cannot be determined under the Council’s process.  As a result, the Council has had no option other than to determine the complaint without taking any action.	A	Complaint against member alleging failure to respond appropriately or at all to correspondence about the complainant’s experience of anti-social behaviour at their address.

Key to Complaint topics

Code	Description of type of conduct complained about
A	Complaints about members’ conduct in their wards, including when discharging their ward responsibilities or otherwise communicating with constituents or other stakeholders.
B	Complaints about comments or conduct either at council meetings, or at meetings at which members are representing BHCC
C	Complaints about conduct relating to council business or other members made outside council meetings, including on social media
D	Complaints about a member’s conduct or position on an issue which is not council business or a ward matter, including conduct or a statement reported in the press or made on social media