DOZENS of complaints have been made about the behaviour of Worcestershire councillors on social media and in meetings.
A “high number” of complaints have been made about one councillor, but they have not been named.
A report shows Worcestershire County Council’s monitoring officer received 64 complaints about members between May 1, 2025, and April 30, 2026.
Of these, 22 related to posts made by councillors on social media. A further 13 related to comments made by councillors in meetings.
CHAIR: Sam Evans, chair of the standards and ethics committee, said group leaders are trying to work out issues between councillors (Image: Worcestershire County Council/YouTube)
A total of 22 complaints were made by a councillor.
The council said 11 complaints were made about district councillors, over which the county council’s monitoring officer has no jurisdiction and so was not able to consider.
Sam Evans, chair of the council’s standards and ethics committee, said: “We have noted the complaints that have been received over the past year or so,” he said.
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“It’s worth noting 22 complaints were made by councillors – it’s something we need to look into and I know group leaders are working with members where there are complaints, to see if we can resolve that amicably without having to follow the formal procedure.”
Social media guidance is being drawn up to help councillors avoid future complaints.
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Monitoring officer Hazel Best said with a third of complaints relating to social media, “I want to be taking action to help councillors avoid those complaints being made.”
At a full council meeting earlier this month she said a guide would be sent out to all councillors but would not become official council policy.
“It’s not meant to be prohibitive, it’s meant to be an aid to assist,” she said.
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Reform leader Alan Amos asked if a lot of complaints about “one particular member – frequent and serious complaints – either from members of the public or other councillors, [should] any special additional action need to be taken against that member?”
Ms Best said: “I have met with a councillor and their group leader in relation to a high number of complaints in relation to a particular member.
“We can only take the action that is in the standards regime at present. Some describe it as ‘toothless’, so if that were going to be a public apology, if they were going to be censored, if a group leader was going to take action and take them off a committee etc.”
She said the government is proposing bringing back the power to suspend councillors, which “does not exist at the moment” but warned that local government reorganisation could likely standards reforms being put on the back burner.