The Assessment Sub-Panel of the Panel of Independent Persons met on Tuesday 26 May 2026. The meeting's agenda included a review of the Members' Code of Conduct and the complaints procedure. A significant portion of the meeting was scheduled to be held in private to discuss an alleged breach of the Members' Code of Conduct, including a request for anonymity.

Members' Code of Conduct and Complaints Procedure

The panel was scheduled to consider information regarding the City of London Corporation's¹ arrangements for investigating and deciding on allegations of breaches of the member code of conduct. This procedure, established under the Localism Act 2011², applies to both elected and co-opted members. The report pack outlined the process for handling complaints, including a pre-complaint protocol for member-against-member disputes, the role of the Panel of Independent Persons, and the operation of sub-panels for assessment, hearings, and appeals.

The procedure details how complaints are received, including the information required on a complaint form, and the steps taken following receipt. This includes acknowledgement, potential requests for clarification, and the provision of the complaint to the subject member. The report also described the process for informal resolution, which requires the consent of all parties and the agreement of the Town Clerk and Monitoring Officer³.

For admissible complaints, the Assessment Panel would consider criteria such as the seriousness of the alleged conduct, whether the complaint is malicious or vexatious, and if it has already been subject to investigation. The panel could then recommend no action, alternative action such as training or mediation, request a formal investigation, or refer the matter directly to the Hearing Panel if all facts were known. The procedure also detailed the notification of assessment decisions to both the complainant and the subject member.

The report pack also covered the investigation procedure, including the appointment of an investigator, the interview process, and the preparation of reports. It outlined the hearing procedure, including the role of the Hearing Panel, the presentation of evidence, and the potential sanctions for a breach of the code of conduct, which include censure, withdrawal of Corporation hospitality, and removal from committees. The process for appeals against decisions made by the Hearing Panel was also detailed.

Alleged Breach of the Members' Code of Conduct - Consideration of Request for Anonymity

A significant part of the meeting was scheduled to be held in private to discuss an alleged breach of the Members' Code of Conduct. This agenda item included the consideration of a request for anonymity from one of the parties involved. The report pack indicated that this discussion would involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined by Part I of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972⁴. The public were to be excluded from this part of the meeting under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972.