A SADDLEWORTH Councillor has helped make sure consequences for councillors that consistently breach standards can be even tighter.
The Oldham borough authority wanted to implement and support Government recommendations to strengthen what is known as the ‘standards regime.’
But Saddleworth West and Lees Liberal Democrat Cllr Alicia Marland played a role in making the local policy even stronger.
An amendment to a Labour motion that called for an independent chair for the standards committee, rather than a council member appointed by the administration and implementing best practice for code of conduct complaint handling was carried, meaning that usurped what was originally proposed.
It puts the power to get rid of misbehaving councillors in the hands of their voters and at the meeting of the full council on Wednesday, December 10, that was voted through
Councillor Marland said: “The Government has run a consultation on this, and it was absolutely clear that people were concerned about the potential for this to be used for – as the Labour Government phrased it ‘vexatious politically motivated complaints’.
“As councillors, we serve the people. We are in a very privileged position to be their voice, and it is vital that at all times, we answer to them.
“Members of the public have complained to me because they submitted complaints nearly two years ago, and where it hasn’t yet even been decided if there is a case to answer.
“It is clear that there is something getting in the way of complaints – or at least some of them – being resolved.
“We need an impartial, fair standards system, and not one where members are hauled over the coals purely because of their political allegiances.”
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