Who can make a complaint about a councillor?

Any member of the public, council officer or councillor may submit a complaint under the Members' Code of Conduct.

What information should I include?

Provide dates, locations, a description of the conduct, names of witnesses and any documents or links to support the allegation.

How long does an investigation take?

Timescales vary by case; the council's assessment and investigation times are set out in the published arrangements and depend on complexity.

Can I appeal an outcome?

Internal review or legal challenge routes may be available; specific internal time limits are not itemised on the council complaint page.

Manchester Members' Code Complaint Procedure

Education England 4 Minutes Read · published February 11, 2026

This guide explains how complaints under the Members' Code of Conduct are handled in Manchester, England. It summarises who enforces the code, the usual process for submitting a complaint, common outcomes and appeal routes. It is written for residents, witnesses and councillors who need clear steps for reporting alleged breaches of conduct and for council staff managing those reports. Use the official council contacts and forms listed below to start a complaint or to ask for procedural advice.

Overview of the complaints procedure

Manchester City Council maintains a Members' Code of Conduct and an arrangements document for handling complaints, administered by the Monitoring Officer and considered by the Standards Committee where required. Complaints are assessed for jurisdiction and whether they raise an apparent breach; some matters may be referred for informal resolution. For official guidance on the code and the council's arrangements, see the council pages listed in Help and Support / Resources below.^[1]

You can ask the Monitoring Officer for guidance before submitting a formal complaint.

Penalties & Enforcement

Manchester's published arrangements explain the handling and outcomes for code complaints, but do not set fixed criminal fines in the local arrangements; monetary fines are not generally imposed by the council's standards process. Where statutory sanctions exist under other legislation these will be identified on the relevant official pages. For details on sanctions and enforcement steps, consult the official council pages and the Standards Committee rules below.^[1]

Monetary fines: not specified on the cited page; the local standards arrangements do not list fixed fines for code breaches.^[1]
Non-monetary sanctions: may include formal censure, publication of findings, withdrawal of civic or committee roles, or referral to other enforcement routes; specific measures are defined by the committee or Monitoring Officer and are not itemised as fixed penalties on the cited page.^[1]
Escalation and repeat breaches: escalation procedures are governed by the council's arrangements; ranges for repeat or continuing offences are not specified on the cited page.^[1]
Enforcer and complaints pathway: the Monitoring Officer receives and assesses complaints and the Standards Committee considers hearings where required; contact details and complaint submission guidance are on the council pages linked below.^[2]
Appeal and review: appeals or reviews are handled according to the council's arrangements and any applicable statutory judicial review processes; time limits for internal review or challenge are not itemised on the cited page and may depend on the procedural decision made by the Monitoring Officer.^[1]
Defences and discretion: the arrangements permit the Monitoring Officer and Standards Committee to consider reasonable excuse, context, or remedial action; formal defences depend on case facts and are not exhaustively listed on the cited page.^[1]

If you are unsure whether conduct meets the code, contact the Monitoring Officer for clarification before filing.

Applications & Forms

The council publishes guidance on how to make a complaint and any required complaint form or online submission method on its complaints pages. Where a specific complaint form is required it will be linked from the council guidance; if no form is required the page gives contact and submission instructions. See Help and Support / Resources for direct links to the official complaint guidance and forms.^[2]

Common violations and typical outcomes

Failure to declare interests: may lead to investigation and published finding; specific sanctions are not fixed on the cited page.^[1]
Bullying or harassment: complaint may be investigated with potential records and committee action; outcomes vary by case and are not itemised as fixed penalties.^[1]
Misuse of council resources: referred for investigation; remedies depend on findings and are set by the council's arrangements.^[1]

Timely reporting improves investigative options and evidence preservation.

Procedure: making a complaint

Follow the council's published complaint route to ensure the Monitoring Officer can assess jurisdiction and next steps. Include dates, witnesses and any documentary evidence when you submit your allegation. Anonymous complaints may be handled differently as explained on the official guidance.^[2]

FAQ

Who can make a complaint about a councillor?: Any member of the public, council officer or councillor may submit a complaint under the Members' Code of Conduct.
What information should I include?: Provide dates, locations, a description of the conduct, names of witnesses and any documents or links to support the allegation.
How long does an investigation take?: Timescales vary by case; the council's assessment and investigation times are set out in the published arrangements and depend on complexity.
Can I appeal an outcome?: Internal review or legal challenge routes may be available; specific internal time limits are not itemised on the council complaint page.

How-To

Gather evidence: collect dates, witness names and documents or screenshots supporting the allegation.
Contact the Monitoring Officer or use the council complaint page to obtain the official form or submission instructions.^[2]
Submit the complaint with your contact details so the council can acknowledge and follow up.
Cooperate with any investigation and provide further evidence if requested.
Review the outcome and ask about internal review or legal options if you disagree with the decision.

Key Takeaways

Use the Monitoring Officer route for formal complaints to ensure proper assessment.
Provide clear evidence and dates to speed up assessment and investigation.