Truly a law unto themselves

Sir, – There are around 1,200 active community councils in Scotland and although local authorities have statutory oversight, I was surprised to learn they have no powers to act or investigate any complaints regarding CC’S.

If you wish to complain or ask questions, your only recourse is to tackle the offending council itself or go to the police. The first option is usually doomed, the second is nuclear and, without evidence of criminal activity, futile.

It seems community councils and their members currently answer to no one.

Transparency, democracy and empowerment in action?

Angus Council states: “If a Councillor breaches the Councillors Code of Conduct then… the Commission for Ethical Standards in Scotland… the Standards Commission…will consider any complaints, carry out an investigation and if appropriate impose sanctions on any Councillor found to be in breach of the code.

“The difference with the Community Councillors Code of Conduct… is that there is no enforcing body similar to the Standards Commission and therefore by default, there are no sanctions for breaching the code.”

Community councils are literally a law unto themselves, it seems.

They set their own rules and investigate complaints against themselves by themselves.

So it was heartening to hear Angus Council have assured Graeme Dey, MSP, that “there is a commitment to review the Scheme of Establishment this year and a complaints procedure will be incorporated.” William Perry. 9 Westgate, Friockheim.