Ipswich Borough Council adopted its Code of Conduct on 5 May 2022, as set out in the Constitution. This Code outlines the standards of conduct required of all councillors.
Role of the monitoring officer
The Monitoring Officer is responsible for considering complaints that a Borough councillor may have breached their Code of Conduct. Complaints are considered in consultation with an Independent Person appointed by the Council. The Suffolk-wide pool of Independent Persons may be consulted by the Monitoring Officer.
Independent persons
- Tracy Colman
- Josie Finch
- Rebecca Preedy
- Susan Putters
Please note: The Monitoring Officer can only deal with complaints about the behavior of a councillor that are covered by the Council's Code of Conduct. The Code applies only to a councillor while undertaking their functions as a councillor and does not apply to actions taken in a personal capacity.
How to make a complaint
Complaints about the conduct of a councillor must be made using one of the forms below:
- Download the Councillor Conduct Complaint Form (PDF)
- Download the Councillor Conduct Complaint Form (Word)
Please email or post the completed complaint form to the Monitoring Officer using the contact details provided on this page.
Complaints solely about the failure of a councillor to register or declare pecuniary interests in council business should now be made to the Police. However, you may also wish to notify the Monitoring Officer if this is connected to a complaint about a breach of the Code.
What happens next?
The Monitoring Officer will carry out an initial assessment of the complaint to determine:
- Whether the complaint is against a councillor who is covered by the Code of Conduct within Ipswich Borough.
- Whether the councillor was in office at the time of the alleged conduct.
- Whether the complaint, if proven, would constitute a breach of the general obligations in the Local Code of Conduct.
- Whether the alleged conduct was committed or connected to their official capacity as a councillor, rather than a purely private matter.
If the alleged conduct is covered by the Code, the Monitoring Officer will consult one of the Independent Persons for their views on the next steps. The possible steps and outcomes are detailed in the downloadable document below: