• Introduction
• Part 1How do I make a complaint?
• Part 2What is a Standards Committee?
• Part 3What complaints does the Standards Committee deal with?
• Part 4How should I set out my complaint?
• Part 5What happens to my complaint – how is it processed and dealt with?
• Part 6What happens after my complaint has been looked at?
• Part 7Withdrawal of complaints
• Part 8Complainant confidentiality
• Part 9Conflicts of interests
• Part 10Retention of records
• Part 11Generally
• Appendix 1Councillor complaints process - public interest
• Appendix 2Assessment criteria

Part 9

Conflicts of interests

If any officer has any personal or professional conflict of interest in relation to a complaint, they must have no involvement or no further involvement in dealing with that complaint other than such reasonable steps as are necessary to ensure that the complaint is dealt with by someone other than them.

Any conflicts identified during the course of a matter will be managed appropriately by the monitoring officer or their nominee.

An officer who has previously advised a subject member or has given advice to the complainant about the issues giving rise to a complaint must seek advice from their line manager as to whether they can properly be involved in the conduct of a related complaint. Public perception and the public interest will be considered.

If any independent person has any personal or professional conflict of interest in relation to a complaint, they must have no involvement or no further involvement in dealing with that complaint other than such reasonable steps as are necessary to ensure that the complaint is dealt with by someone other than them. Where this occurs another independent person will be appointed and the appropriate person(s) notified