The Standards Assessment Board is scheduled to convene on Thursday 5 November 2026 to review updates on ongoing complaints received under the Code of Conduct for Members. A significant portion of the meeting is dedicated to discussing a specific complaint, reference FS-Case-880818304, which will be considered in a part of the meeting not open to the public.

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, will provide information on complaints that have been assessed and those that are currently in progress. The Council has a duty under section 27 of the Localism Act 2011¹ to uphold high standards of conduct among its members. The report will detail the status of complaints received before 8 October 2026, including those that have been resolved, are awaiting consideration, or have been rejected for not engaging the Code of Conduct. It will also cover complaints received between 9 October and 26 October 2026, outlining their current pre-assessment stage or if they have been rejected. The Council maintains an open process for complaints, with information accessible on its website.

Complaint Reference FS-Case-880818304

A significant item on the agenda involves the consideration of complaint reference FS-Case-880818304. This matter is scheduled to be discussed during Part B of the meeting, which is considered to involve the likely disclosure of exempt or confidential information and therefore will not be open to the public and press. The report pack indicates that this complaint will be discussed in detail, with the Board having options on how to proceed.