Complaints process ‘disgrace’

COUNCIL'S PROCEDURE COMES UNDER FIRE

- By DANIEL HODGSON

A LOCAL authority’s complaints procedure has come under fire from councillors.

Middlesbrough Council's standards committee heard from unhappy local politicians who didn’t believe the process was fit for purpose, highlighting instances where neither the person complaining, nor the individual on the receiving end of the complaint, were satisfied when investigations were concluded.

The attack related to the system by which complaints against Middlesbrough councillors are handled.

Liberal Democrat councillor Morgan McClintock addressed the committee, of which he is not a member, on Monday. He described the process as “mysterious” and “distressing” while Nunthorpe parish councillor Adrian Walker believed the process was an “utter disgrace”.

Ann-Marie Wilson, head of legal at the council, spoke about the limited sanctions available and said she shared some of the frustrations that had been voiced, but highlighted that the local authority generally follows the Local Government Association model.