Code of conduct complaint against Wellingborough Council Leader dismissed

Two code of conduct complaints against Wellingborough Council’s leader Martin Griffiths have been dismissed with no further action.

Newly released minutes of the Standards Committee which were held behind closed doors on June 22 reveal the two undetailed complaints by an unnamed fellow councillor against the long standing Conservative leader have been thrown out.

The committee was made up of Cwo conservative councillors, husband and wife Lorna and Graham Lawman, and Labour councillor Tim Maguire who decided in a meeting that lasted for an hour and 45 minutes that Cllr Griffiths had not breached the code of conduct.

Although not named in the minutes it is clear the matter refers to a complaint against the leader as it refers to comments he made to the Northamptonshire Telegraph after a vote of no confidence by a third of his party was put forward.

The minutes said: “The monitoring officer presented his report to the assessment sub-committee and summarised the complaint received.

“The complaint had been received outside of the normal time frame for investigating complaints but the time limit can be waived in exceptional circumstances. The complainant cited general Cornoavirus (sic) reasons but none specific to him, his family friends or relatives. The complainant also requested that their details remain confidential. The complaint related to a perceived breach of point 2.3 of the code of conduct, and refers to comments made by the councillor at a private meeting held in February 2020, where the complainant, the councillor and other councillors and local MPs were present.”

Although not cited in the minutes, it is understood the comments complained of referred to the forthcoming unitary elections and the leading Conservative group’s working relationship with officers at the council.

The trio, who have all worked alongside the leader on the council for many years, thought the complaints had been made for political reasons.

The minutes say: “It was considered that the complaint was malicious and submitted to further political outcomes, as opposed to upholding the high standards of conduct and behaviour.”

The committee of three decided no action should be taken against Cllr Griffiths. Reasons given were that the complaint had been made outside of the three-month time limit and the comments had been at a private meeting where the leader had made them in a private capacity.

The second complaint, which may have been made by a different councillor to the first but was very similar in nature, was also dismissed in the same way.

It is uncertain whether this standards committee decision will draw to a close the problems within the Conservative group of Wellingborough Council.

A plan for a vote of no confidence in the leader – which would have been voted on by all 24 of the council’s Conservatives – failed to get over the line last month as the group of eight councillors needed another member to take it forward.

Earlier this month independent councillor Robert Gough accused the Wellingborough leader in a public forum of bullying him and badly affecting his mental health. He was not allowed to continue and was removed from the virtual full council meeting.