Social media top for complaints against Telford councillors

Since February 2018, the council has received three complains about parish councillors and 13 relating to borough councillors.

The inappropriate use of social media is one of the biggest reasons for complaints.

Telford & Wrekin Council said a quarter of received complaints were outside of its jurisdiction, involving a councillor's private life or around declarations of interest.

In a report to Telford & Wrekin Council's standards committee, monitoring officer Jonathan Eatough said specific guidance on social media "likes" could be added to current councillor guidelines.

"Whilst there have been more complaints in the last year it remains noteworthy that none have been deemed serious enough for referral by the monitoring officer," he wrote.

"The inappropriate use of social media remains at the root of many complaints, about a third of complaints.

"Forty three per cent of complaints emanate from councillors' role in the community, with the remaining 24 per cent either complaints that were outside the jurisdiction of the code or governance related complaints."

The current focus of officers' planning around councillor training is on induction for new councillors after the elections in May.

Comments

Mr Eatough wrote: "Online and video training will be in place for councillor at town and parish level and at borough level post-election in time for the induction of new councillors.

"A training programme on standards is still to be developed."

The complaints do not mention the names of the councillors involved.

In February last year, a complaint was made about a Telford & Wrekin councillor in relation to a like on social media. The matter was closed shortly after.

And in March a parish councillor received complaints for comments they had made on social media. The complaint was closed in November.

There were allegations of inappropriate comments made by a parish councillor in November, and the matter was closed in January.

In December there were allegations made against a Telford & Wrekin councillor in relation to safeguarding and confidentiality.

The Telford & Wrekin Council standards committee will meet at Addenbrooke House at 6pm on Tuesday.