ONE of Liverpool’s most eminent solicitors has called for a shake-up in the way ethical complaints against the city’s elected councillors are handled.

Rex Makin has hit out at a system of complaints in which Liverpool City Council’s Standards Committee looks at both the original complaint and any appeal which may be lodged.

He said two completely independent panels were needed to investigate complaints and any subsequent appeal.

The call comes after Mr Makin, acting on behalf of a city councillor, had a complaint turned down and then the appeal rejected.

Last night, the city council said it followed rules set down by Parliament.

A spokesman said the committee, which is made of six independent members and three councillors (one Labour, one Liberal Democrat, and one Liberal), has more than the minimum number of independent members required of it.

He said three members of the committee rejected the first complaint, and three different members rejected the appeal.

The row comes as council leader Warren Bradley and ex-council leader Mike Storey await the result of an investigation by the Standards Board for England into allegations they conspired to remove former Culture Company chief executive Jason Harborow from his job.

The accusations have always been strenuously denied by the pair.

The investigation into Cllr Bradley has already concluded, and he has received a draft report of the findings which are expected to be made public soon.

Meanwhile, Cllr Storey, who is also alleged to have leaked details of Mr Harborow’s health (a claim which he also denies), is expected to learn his fate soon.

If they are not exonerated, a range of actions may be taken, including suspension from office and a ban from standing in elections.

Before May, all complaints about councillors were sent straight to the Standards Board.

Now they are first sent to local standards committees, with only the most serious complaints sent to the Standards Board.

Last night, Mr Makin said: “I made a complaint on behalf of a client, and after a ponderous period the complaint was turned down.

“I then appealed the decision which was unfortunately turned down.

“It is, in my view, completely inappropriate for the standards committee to be made up of councillors of all parties who are expected to adjudicate on their own members.

“There should be a separate appeal committee.”

A spokesman for the council said: “This complaint [by Mr Makin] was fully investigated by different sub-committees and they both came to the same decision, which was to take no action in respect of the complaint.”

LDP LEGAL: PAGE 14

davidbartlett