Who can complain about a councillor?

Any member of the public, council officer or another councillor may submit a complaint to the monitoring officer via the council’s standards complaints process.

Will my complaint be anonymous?

The council may consider requests for anonymity, but anonymity can limit the ability to investigate; the council handles anonymity case by case as set out on its standards page.

Can I appeal a standards committee decision?

Formal appeals are limited; options may include internal review, referral to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman or judicial review where there are legal grounds—check the council decision notice and monitoring officer for routes and time limits.

Code of Conduct Complaints - Liverpool Council

General Governance and Administration England 4 Minutes Read · published February 12, 2026

In Liverpool, England, councillor conduct complaints are handled under the council’s standards arrangements and relevant national legislation. This guide explains how to make a complaint about a councillor to Liverpool City Council, what powers and sanctions the council has, where to find the official complaint process and forms, and how to appeal or seek review. It is intended for residents, council staff and community groups who need a practical, step-by-step overview of roles, deadlines and likely outcomes when alleging a breach of the councillor code of conduct.

Penalties & Enforcement

The council’s published standards arrangements set out investigation and decision-making processes; specific monetary fines for code breaches are not specified on the cited page. Localism Act provisions and the council framework allocate non-monetary sanctions and procedures to the council and its standards committee.^[1]

Council sanctions may include formal censure, publication of findings, requirement to apologise, or removal from committee posts where the council has authority.
Where criminal conduct is suspected, the matter may be referred to the police; the council page states referral routes but specific criminal sanctions are outside the council code process.^[1]
Investigations are usually conducted by the monitoring officer or an appointed investigator; the standards committee or an appointed panel makes findings.
Financial penalties for councillors under the code are not set out on the council page and are generally not a feature of local code sanctions; not specified on the cited page.^[1]

Decisions under the code usually result in local remedies rather than fines.

Escalation and repeat offences: the council’s arrangements allow investigation of complaints and may treat ongoing or repeated breaches more seriously, but the council’s published pages do not list fixed escalation fine ranges or repeat-offence schedules; this information is not specified on the cited page.^[2]

Applications & Forms

The official Liverpool guidance directs complainants to the council’s complaints route for standards matters and provides contact details for the monitoring officer. The council publishes a complaints process and (where available) forms or web submission instructions on its standards pages; the exact form name, form number and fee are not specified on the cited page. Follow the council page link to access the current complaint form or web form and submission details.^[2]

How to submit: use the online complaint form or send a written complaint to the monitoring officer as described on the council standards page.^[2]
Deadlines: the published guidance does not set a single statutory deadline for all complaints; time limits and acceptance criteria are set out in the council’s procedure and may allow discretion. If a clear deadline is required, the council page should be consulted directly.^[2]

Who enforces and how to complain

The monitoring officer of Liverpool City Council is responsible for receiving and initially assessing code of conduct complaints. If the monitoring officer considers that there is a potential breach, an investigation follows and findings are reported to the standards committee or a standards panel. To submit a complaint, use the council’s standards complaints page and follow the process described there; official contact details and the monitoring officer’s route appear on the council site.^[2]

Contact the monitoring officer via the council standards page for submission instructions and address details.^[2]
Appeals and review: the council page explains internal review and committee decision routes; formal appeals are limited and judicial review or the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman may be options depending on the matter—specific appeal time limits are not specified on the cited page and must be checked with the council.^[1]
Defences and discretion: the council applies the code tests and can accept explanations such as a reasonable excuse or legitimate interests; the standards procedure sets out assessment criteria for whether a complaint warrants investigation.

Most complaints are screened first by the monitoring officer before a full investigation is authorised.

Common violations

Failure to declare interests or conflicts of interest when required by the register of interests rules.
Bullying, harassment or actions that breach the council’s standards of behaviour.
Misuse of council resources or position for personal gain.

FAQ

Who can complain about a councillor?: Any member of the public, council officer or another councillor may submit a complaint to the monitoring officer via the council’s standards complaints process.
Will my complaint be anonymous?: The council’s guidance explains that complainant anonymity may limit the council’s ability to investigate; specific anonymity policies are set out on the council page and handled case by case.
Can I appeal a standards committee decision?: Formal appeals against standards committee findings are limited; options may include internal review, referral to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman or judicial review in court where there are grounds. Check the council’s decision notice and the monitoring officer for time limits and routes.

How-To

Gather evidence: dates, witnesses, documents and links showing the alleged conduct.
Check the council’s standards page for the current complaint form and eligibility criteria.^[2]
Submit the complaint to the monitoring officer by the method on the council page (online form, email or post) and retain a copy.
Cooperate with any investigation and supply additional evidence if requested; ask the monitoring officer for timescales and next steps.
If dissatisfied with the outcome, ask about internal review options and consider contacting the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman for possible escalation.^[3]

Start with clear, contemporaneous evidence to improve the chance of a full investigation.

Key Takeaways

Submit complaints through the monitoring officer and use the council’s official form or web route.
Monetary fines for code breaches are not specified by the council; remedies are mainly non-monetary.
Appeals are limited; consider the Ombudsman or legal review for procedural errors.