WARRINGTON Borough Council will ‘regrettably’ not intervene in ensuring members are protected from any punishment from their political groups for whistleblowing.

The issue was discussed by the constitution sub-committee at the Town Hall today, Thursday.

A report which came before members covered statutory guidance on overview and scrutiny in local and combined authorities.

The purpose of it is partly to ensure authorities are aware of what ‘effective scrutiny’ looks like and how to conduct it.

It also states scrutiny committees should be well-resourced and pay particular attention to issues including having a transparent decision-making process and whistleblowing protection for members and officers.

Cllr Colin Froggatt (LAB – Poulton South) highlighted whistleblowing protection for members and officers during today’s meeting.

He raised the prospect of a councillor whistleblowing in a situation where their political group ‘might not want’ them to before asking what the council’s stance would be in such a matter.

Matthew Cumberbatch, the council’s head of legal and democratic services, as well as monitoring officer, said ‘regrettably’ political group issues are to be dealt with ‘outside of the council’.

He added it would be a matter for the party and that he does not think it is ‘something we would really seek to get involved in’.