Local Government Reform - Consultation on Policy Proposals

Question 22:
Alternatively, would you prefer the Commissioner for
Complaints to be responsible for all types of cases? What
would you consider to be the advantages of this?
4.17. The Department proposes that each council should have an
independent monitoring officer and a standards committee to deal
with complaints referred to it by the Commissioner. Where a
complaint appears to be a less serious breach of the Code or where
there may be no case to answer, it is intended that the
Commissioner would refer the matter to the relevant council’s
standards committee for local resolution.
4.18. If a case is referred to a council for local resolution, the independent
monitoring officer would investigate and report to the standards
committee to assess whether a breach had occurred and, if
necessary, to adjudicate on the matter.
4.19. The Department proposes that an independent monitoring officer
should be appointed or assigned for each council. The main roles
of an independent monitoring officer would include:
• providing advice and guidance on the ethical standards
framework and Code of Conduct within the council, including
establishing contact with other monitoring officers within
Northern Ireland and the Great Britain to share and develop
best practice;
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