The Standards Committee of Devon Council met on Thursday 16 July 2026 to discuss member safety and wellbeing, local government ombudsman complaints, national standards updates, and the local determination of complaints. Key decisions included noting the outcomes of a member safety and wellbeing audit and welcoming ongoing work in this area, as well as noting the contents of the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman report and requesting continued monitoring of service improvements.

Member Safety and Wellbeing Audit and Progress

The committee received a report detailing the outcomes of an internal audit into member safety and wellbeing at Devon County Council. The audit highlighted that while comprehensive support measures are in place, there are opportunities to improve clarity, awareness, and consistency in reporting and follow-up processes. Assistant Director of Democratic Services, Karen Strahan, updated members on recent concerns regarding threats and intimidation, ongoing work with the police, and the potential introduction of new security measures, including a personal alarm app. Discussions also covered new guidance from the Local Government Association (LGA) on councillors' use of social media.

Members expressed concerns about the low response rate to a survey on member safety and wellbeing, proposing actions such as shortening the questionnaire, changing the sender of the email, using QR codes, and promoting the survey more actively. There were also discussions about ongoing cases of social media abuse, the perceived lack of police response, and the need for stronger council intervention. The challenges of managing online interactions and the cumulative impact of social media behaviour were also raised. Councillors suggested that members should be discouraged from responding to other councillors' posts, particularly across party lines, to reduce online conflicts. The committee resolved to note the audit's outcomes and welcome the work being done to support member safety and wellbeing.

Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman Complaints

The committee reviewed a report on complaints investigated by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) during the 2025-26 reporting year. Customer Relations Manager Helen Wyatt informed members that 57 complaints were investigated, with 46 upheld, resulting in an 81% uphold rate, which is an improvement on the previous year and below the average for comparable authorities. However, when adjusted for population size, the number of upheld complaints remained slightly above the average.

The Ombudsman's findings identified areas for improvement, including timeliness, communication, record-keeping, complaint handling, early resolution, monitoring of commissioned services, and compliance with statutory processes. Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) complaints were highlighted as a significant source of Ombudsman findings and financial remedies. Financial remedies totalling approximately £57,700 were awarded, primarily related to delays in Education, Health and Care Plans and alternative educational provision. Members discussed the council's perceived reluctance to apologise in some situations and the reasons for complaint closures. The committee resolved to note the report's contents, the actions taken in response to Ombudsman recommendations, requested directors to continue monitoring service improvements, and to receive a further update in 12 months.

National Updates and Best Practice Guidance for Standards

A report was presented on national developments and best practice guidance relevant to standards, conduct, and ethical governance. Members were informed about the work of the Ethics and Integrity Commission (EIC), which replaced the Committee on Standards in Public Life in 2025. The EIC is reviewing public service ombudsman schemes and focusing on identifying systemic failures across public bodies. The report also highlighted recent high-profile standards cases from Wales, which illustrated the consequences of conduct that undermined public confidence in local government, including issues such as inappropriate communications, misuse of office, bullying, harassment, and vexatious complaints.

Discussions included the value of sharing notable standards cases for learning, the extensive training programmes available for councillors, and suggestions for improving the logging of training attendance. The committee resolved to note the report.

Local Determination of Complaints

The committee received an update on complaints received under the Members' Code of Conduct. It was reported that complaints had increased compared to the previous year, with recurring themes including social media activity, comments made during public meetings, and allegations of misuse of position. Since the previous report, 17 new complaints had been received.

Members discussed the increase in complaints, particularly in light of a significant number of new councillors, and the challenges of supporting them. There was a desire to see cumulative complaint data and patterns to identify trends, as well as to understand the resource implications of complaint handling. The committee considered the balance between encouraging legitimate complaints and preventing adversarial behaviour between members. Discussions also touched upon vexatious complaints and the officer time involved. It was suggested that group leaders could play a role in resolving member-on-member complaints before escalation. The committee resolved to note the report.