The Standards Assessment Board of County Durham Council is scheduled to convene on Monday 11 May 2026. The meeting's agenda includes an update on complaints received under the Code of Conduct for Members, as well as the consideration of specific, confidential complaint cases.

Code of Conduct Complaints Update

The Board is scheduled to receive an update on complaints lodged under the Code of Conduct for Members of Durham County Council. This report, prepared by Helen Bradley, Director of Legal and Democratic Services and Monitoring Officer, covers the period since the Board's meeting on 2 April 2026. The Council has a duty under section 27 of the Localism Act 2011¹ to uphold high standards of conduct among its members. The report details the status of various complaints, including those considered at previous meetings, those awaiting assessment, and those that have been withdrawn or rejected. It notes that a meeting on 17 April 2026 had to be adjourned due to being inquorate, and a complaint originally scheduled for that date will be reconvened for consideration immediately following the current meeting. The report indicates that two complaints received between 24 March and 17 April 2026 are scheduled for consideration by the Board on 11 May 2026.

Confidential Complaint Cases

In addition to the general update, the meeting will move into a part of the session considered not open to the public to discuss specific complaint references. These include Complaint Reference FS-Case-821225691 and Complaint Reference FS-Case-810791640. These items are being considered under Part B of the agenda, which relates to exempt or confidential information.

The meeting is scheduled to take place in Committee Room 2, County Hall, Durham, immediately following the conclusion of the 9:30 a.m. meeting. The attendees listed for the Standards Assessment Board are Councillor L Taylor (Chair), Councillor A Savory, and Councillor P Sexton, alongside co-opted representative Councillor J Hirst.