Several complaints made against Peterborough city councillors

A report being considered by the authority’s Constitution and Ethics Committee on Monday states: “There have been a number of new complaints about councillors, mainly received in the few weeks before the local elections at the start of May.

“Due to the heightened sensitivity in the pre-election period and the possibility of complaints being used as part of political campaigning, the Monitoring Officer delayed considering these complaints until after the election was over.”

Councillors are no longer named when a complaint is made against them unless it is upheld.

However, the report outlines the latest allegations which have been made, several of which relate to behaviour on social media.

Councillors have adopted a new social media code which warns them to not “use inappropriate or ill-considered, offensive, illegal or discriminatory remarks”.

The complaints are outlined below:

. One councillor complained about another councillor in relation to a Facebook post which is alleged to have breached the social media code. The complaint is now with the

council’s Independent Person for a decision on what action should be taken.

. A complaint was received from a member of the public that a councillor had breached the code of conduct in relation to comments made about another councillor during a Full Council meeting and an associated social media post. The complaint is now with the council’s Independent Person for a decision on what action should now be taken.

. A councillor complained that another councillor had breached the social media code in relation to comments made on social media about them. The Monitoring Officer has contacted the councillor for a response.

. A councillor complained that another councillor’s social media post “incited bigotry and hatred”. The complaint is now with the council’s Independent Person for a decision on what action should be taken.

. A councillor complained that another councillor’s behaviour towards them in the Council Chamber was disrespectful and inappropriate and in breach of the code of conduct. The complaint is now with the council’s Independent Person for a decision on what action should be taken.

A complaint was made by a council member at the end of May that another councillor had used offensive language (via an acronym) in a social media exchange which had been seen by a member of the public. The complaint was that the post was in breach of the social media code. The complaint is now with the council’s Independent Person for a decision on what action should be taken.

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