Code of Conduct Complaints

In Autumn 2020 Denmead Parish Council called a member of staff to a disciplinary meeting to discuss several issues of gross misconduct.

Subsequently, Cllrs Scholey, Carson, Brown, Jones, Andreoli and Langford-Smith and both the Responsible Financial Officer and Committee Clerk received a letter from Cllrs Berry, Clay, Pearson and Rusbridger advising that a staff member had raised a grievance against each of them.

It followed that a total of twelve Code of Conduct Complaints were submitted to Winchester City Council and those complaints were investigated by Winchester’s solicitors who compiled a report.

The external cost of the report to Winchester City council totalled £20,293.70.

The detailed findings of that report can be found here.

In summary, the allegation of a breach of the Code of Conduct made by

• The Former Clerk about Cllr Langford-Smith – Did NOT Breach
• The Former Deputy Clerk about Cllr Langford-Smith – Did NOT Breach
• Cllr Neil Rusbridger about Cllr Langford-Smith and Cllr Ian Brown – Did NOT Breach
• Cllr Martin Clay about Cllr Langford-Smith and Cllr Ian Brown – Did NOT Breach
• Cllr Danny Stallard about Cllr Langford-Smith and Cllr Ian Brown – Did NOT Breach
• Cllr Langford-Smith about Cllr Danny Stallard – Did NOT Breach
• Cllr Langford-Smith about Cllr Martin Clay, and Cllr Anthony Berry – DID Breach
• Cllr Searle about Cllr Martin Clay and Cllr Anthony Berry – DID Breach
• Cllr West about Cllr Martin Clay, and Cllr Anthony Berry – DID Breach
• Cllr Andreoli about Cllr Martin Clay and Cllr Anthony Berry – DID Breach
• Committee Clerk about Cllr Martin Clay and Cllr Anthony Berry – DID Breach
• Operations Manager (at the time) at DPC about Cllr Clay – Did NOT Breach

Note: as Cllrs Rusbridger and Pearson left Council they were removed from the investigation process.

The report concludes that Cllrs Berry and Clay must write letters of apology to the members of staff who received their letter.

The poor governance identified in the report related to sanctions imposed on Councillors – attempted removal from Council’s indemnity policy and being removed from serving on Committees and also to the sharing of all Council minutes to all members serving on Council.

Every year, Council is audited by independent Financial Auditors. For the last ten years DPC have received three completely clear audits, with the exception of Covid when only two audits per year were undertaken. These were also without fault. 

Further to the interim report being issued in Autumn 2021, we have, through proper Council processes, instigated a rolling review programme so that all policies are reviewed on a rotational basis and a programme of training for both employees and Councillors is in place.

We will continue to work with both Winchester City Council and other organizations to ensure that we deliver the best service to the people of Denmead.