FIVE new complaints against borough and parish councillors have been made since March 21.

The standards sub-committee discussed the matter at its Town Hall meeting on Thursday.

Matthew Cumberbatch, the council’s head of legal and democratic services, as well as monitoring officer, delivered an update to members.

He confirmed, since the last meeting of the standards sub-committee on March 21, he has received five new complaints – three against borough councillors and two against parish councillors.

No action was taken over the borough councillors after they were assessed by Mr Cumberbatch and the council’s ‘independent persons’.

The council has two ‘independent persons’ who assess complaints – they are appointed by full council in accordance with statutory requirements.

The two parish councillor complaints were dealt with by providing support to the parish council – but, again, no formal action was taken.

Mr Cumberbatch told members he sometimes receives a call from a member of the public, or a councillor, about complaints and he then seeks to determine ‘what they want to get’ from the process.

He told members the process ‘can’t compel a councillor to be suspended or take training’ as it could in the previous legislation – which sometimes compels the complainant ‘not to go through’ with the matter.

The council said it cannot reveal the names of the five councillors, or state their wards or parishes.

A spokesman confirmed a councillor could be recommended to receive training if found to have breached the councillors’ code of conduct at a standards hearing.

He added: “However, at present, the code of conduct framework does not make provision for a standards committee to either force a councillor to take training or to suspend a councillor.”