Announcements

Swindon Borough Council

Standards Committee Hearings Panel - Decision

On 13th October 2011, the Standards Committee Hearings Panel heard a complaint in respect of an allegation that Councillor Andy Harrison had breached the Member’s Code of Conduct.

The Hearings Panel found that Councillor Harrison had breached Paragraph 5 of the Member’s Council’s Code of Conduct by conducting himself in a manner which could reasonably be regarded as bringing his office or authority into disrepute, by the nature of advice given to the Complainant, a local resident at his home on 29 July 2010 on how to deal with incidents of anti-social behaviour and harassment.

The Committee determined that the following sanctions be imposed on Councillor Andy Harrison in respect of the breach:

• Councillor Harrison to be required to provide the Complainant with a written apology in terms to be agreed in consultation with the Monitoring Officer within 14 days of the notice of the decision.

• In the event that Councillor Harrison fails to provide such an apology, he is to be suspended for a period of one calendar month from the expiry of the 14 day period referred to above.

• Councillor Harrison must undertake additional training in relation to the appropriateness of advice given and the recognition of occasions when matters are
• more appropriately referred elsewhere for consideration and determination.

Councillor Harrison be censured for his inappropriate action in this case.

The reason for the decision was that the Panel considered that the advice given by Councillor Harrison to the Complainant was ill-judged and open to misinterpretation, and advocated behaviour which would have been unlawful.

The Hearing was held in private due to the nature of information disclosed in the Investigator’s report in relation to the incidents of anti-social behaviour which the Complainant had experienced.

Councillor Harrison has a right to request permission to appeal the decision from the First-tier Tribunal (Local Government Standards in England) within 28 days of receiving the notice of the decision.

Stephen P. Taylor
Director of Law and Democratic Services and Monitoring Officer
Swindon Borough Council

01793 463012

Dated: 31st October 2011