Complaints were lodged over ‘religious intolerance’ and Facebook comments made by councillors in Reading.
Each year, complaints made against representatives on Reading Borough Council are investigated through a statutory process.
A total of seven complaints were received in 2023/24, the latest data available.
In one case, ‘cllr H’ was accused of spreading ‘religious intolerance online’.
However, the complaint was dismissed as it was ‘misconceived’, with the
comments online not relating to any religious group.
A separate case saw ‘cllr K’ accused of ‘ill-advised words’ used on a Facebook group.
To rectify the situation, ‘words of advice’ were offered, with the complaint being dismissed with no further action after that.
The last complaint was filed that year by ‘cllr L’ accusing ‘cllr H’ of mishandling a meeting.
However, the council’s monitoring officer chose not to pursue the complaint.
In line with code of conduct rules, a councillor will be identified if they are found to have breached the code so that there is transparency in the public interest.
However, none of the complaints made in 2023/24 proceeded past Stage 0 of the complaints process, meaning either the code of conduct was not engaged or the complaint was misconceived.
Councillors would only be identified if the complaint is escalated.
The standards committee typically meets every year.
In 2022/23, five complaints were lodged with all of these being resolved at Stage 0 as well.
Councillors are set to note a report on the 2023/24 complaints at a meeting on Tuesday, April 22.
