Tories claim council plans to stop investigating complaints (From Harrow Times)
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Harrow Conservatives say Harrow Borough Council plans to stop investigating complaints about councillors
4:40pm Tuesday 8th January 2013 in News By Emma Innes
Conservatives have warned that Harrow Borough Council intends to stop investigating complaints from residents.
Tories claim the Labour-run council has made the “appalling” decision to stop investigating complaints from residents and council staff about councillors' conduct.
The Conservative group is attacking this proposal, which it claims is in the draft budget.
Councillor Paul Osborn, vice-chairman of the standards committee and shadow portfolio holder for transformation, performance and communication, said: “This minor but potentially significant item is hidden away in the depths of the cut-riddled budget Labour has concocted.
“At first glance it’s not entirely clear what Labour are proposing by having a ‘scaled-back councillor investigation process’, but the very thin background papers do at least add that the new standards arrangements brought in after the Localism Act are not statutory and could be withdrawn.
“Incredibly, they also reveal that Labour’s plans will result in complaints being dealt with by group leaders in consultation with independent people. Far from being open and transparent, this is a way to make the whole process even more secretive and open to abuse.”
Cllr Osborn continued: “This would be an appalling decision.
“We need to make the standards regime more cost-effective but this should be done without abolishing it or crippling its effectiveness.
“It also sends out completely the wrong message as politicians - it removes one of the key checks residents have against poor councillor behaviour.”
The Harrow Times is awaiting a comment from Harrow Borough Council.
Comments(11)
Harrow Rani
says...
9:50am Wed 9 Jan 13
Paul Osborn
says...
3:43pm Wed 9 Jan 13
Firstly, you don't have a Group Leader, so if a complaint was made against you who would investigate? You?
Secondly, if a complaint was made against me, the Leader of the Conservative Group wouldn't be involved in any investigation nor would the Leader of the Council. It would go to a cross party panel with one Labour member and one Conservative, chaired by an Independent Person.
You should know this, as you voted for the cross party amendment, which I proposed and that was adopted at the Full Council meeting on 5th July when Harrow updated its processes to reflect the new Standards regime of the Localism Act 2011.
I have fought long and hard for a fair and open process for dealing with complaints against Councillors and will continue to do so in the future.
Harrow Rani
says...
3:49pm Wed 9 Jan 13
starbright
says...
11:21pm Wed 9 Jan 13
jande76959
says...
11:32pm Wed 9 Jan 13
Paul Osborn
says...
2:36pm Thu 10 Jan 13
You might instead want to call on the Labour Councillor remaining in office, despite pleading Guilty to fraud, to resign.
starbright
says...
4:32pm Thu 10 Jan 13
starbright
says...
5:49pm Sat 12 Jan 13
Paul from iharrow.com
says...
12:05am Sun 13 Jan 13
DimSum
says...
4:18am Sun 13 Jan 13
Cllr Husain Akhtar says...
6:21pm Tue 8 Jan 13
(a) The Localism Act 2011 (the Act) has made fundamental changes to the system of regulation of standards of conduct for elected and co-opted Members and is effective from 1st July 2012.
(b) As required by legislation, many councils have appointed an Independent Person (IP) to assist the councils in promoting and maintaining high standards of conduct amongst its elected councillors.
(c) Although the IP will no longer be a member of the Standards Committee under the Government’s new arrangements, their role will be to be consulted on the decision to investigate complaints and before it makes a decision on an investigated complaint.
What is wrong with the Leader of the Council helping in investigating the complaints about his councillors through whatever procedures are available?
The leader of Cllr Osborn’s group investigates any complaint against the members of the Conservative group, is Mr Osborn worried about this being ‘far from being open and transparent, making the whole process more secretive and open to abuse’?