HEREFORDSHIRE Council has overruled proposals which would have kept councillor misconduct hidden from the public eye.

Earlier this month, the audit and governance committee rejected a bid to change the council’s constitution by It’s Our County councillor Liz Harvey which called to name councillors found in breach of the code of conduct.

But following a petition signed by more than 1,700 residents, full council supported three amendments to the constitution ushering in more openness and accountability at the authority.

The first proposal by Conservative councillor Nigel Shaw called to name councillors who have had complaints upheld against them in the annual governance statement.

He said: “I did notice that the final recommendations to council did not include the name of councillors against whom a complaint under the code of conduct had been upheld.

“It is important for us and the public to appreciate the numbers of councillors that such an omission affects.

“In the previous year there have been 54 complaints. Nine against Herefordshire Council councillors and 45 against parish councillors.

“Only one of these complaints has been upheld against a Herefordshire Council colleague and six against parish and town councillors.”

Liberal Democrat and former council leader Terry James thanked the Hereford Times for changing the opinion of councillors over the issue of keeping councillor misconduct hidden.

He said: “I welcome this as someone who once had 36 complaints against myself coming from one particular person.

“None of the complaints were found to be of any basis whatsoever but I made a point of making sure people knew of these complaints.

“I congratulate the Hereford Times for achieving a score in changing the minds of the council.”

But Conservative council leader Jonathan Lester disagreed.

He said: “I don’t see this as the Hereford Times changing the minds of this council.

“I see this as an amendment that recognises the fact that the Conservatives and the whole council thinks it’s important that it is as open and transparent as possible.”

It’s Our County councillor Anthony Powers successfully called for code of conduct breaches to be published promptly after accepting an amendment to do so after any appeals process had concluded.

He said: “When a code of conduct complaint has been upheld by the monitoring officer or the standards panel the council should promptly publish the name of the councillors, the council, the nature of the breach and any recommendation or sanction applied.”

His colleague Coun Harvey was also successful in calling for councillors to have to declare membership of any closed groups or societies.

This brings the requirements in line with those of council officers.