Committee details

The Standards Committee has the job of overseeing training and promoting and maintaining high standards of conduct by Councillors.

The Localism Bill as originally drafted proposed sweeping away the current ethical framework.   It was suggested that Councils would be free to adopt their own voluntary Code of Conduct should they so wish.  However, in the light of the views expressed, the Bill was amended and the following provisions were eventually incorporated into the Act which received Royal Assent in November 2011:

·         Councils are required to have a new or amended Code of Conduct to take effect from 1 July 2012.

·         The Code must be based on the principles of selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership.

·         The Code must include a requirement for members to register and disclose Pecuniary Interests.

·         Councils must put in place a system to deal with any allegation that a member has breached the provisions of the Code.

·         Councils must appoint at least one “Independent Person” who must be consulted in relation to complaints before reaching a decision on any allegation made.       

Exeter City Council has adopted a new Code of Conduct for Members, and this can be seen by clicking on the following link: Members Code of Conduct

How to make a complaint against an Exeter City Councillor:

Where you believe that a Member has breached the provisions of the Member’s Code of Conduct, please put your allegation in writing, setting out details of the alleged breach. Please address this complaint to the Monitoring Officer, Ms B Al-Khafaji, Civic Centre, Exeter, EX1 1JN.  Alternatively, you can email your complaint to bkhafaji@exeter.gov.uk

How to make a complaint about the behaviour of a local authority Councillor in Exeter

Complaints about Members Form - Exeter City Council

The Council’s “Independent Person”

Exeter City Council has appointed two independent persons to assist the Council to deal with any complaints that a Member may have breached the Code of Conduct. The two independent persons are:

·         Andrew Mimmack

·         Professor Brian Kirby

Their contact details are c/o Monitoring Officer, Ms B Al-Khafaji, Civic Centre, Exeter, EX1 1JN.

Members’ Register of Interests:-

You can view the register of interests for each Member online. Please do this by clicking the individual Councillors page using the menu to your right or following this link: Your Councillors.

Alternatively, the Council’s Monitoring Officer holds the Register of Members’ Interests, and these are available for public inspection at Exeter City Council, Civic Centre, Paris Street, Exeter, EX1 1JN.