AN INDEPENDENT investigator found evidence a BCP Council cabinet member breached the councillor code of conduct in three areas.

Such was the serious nature of concerns raised regarding actions of Cllr Mark Anderson, BCP Council officers reported the matter to Dorset Police.

The force concluded there was insufficient evidence to warrant further investigation but had the “initiative” already been implemented and council funds committed there could have been further consideration.

The nature of the "initiative" and correspondence which sparked the complaint have not been published.

Members of the local authority’s standards committee will discuss the matter at a meeting on Tuesday, February 28.

They have been recommended to accept findings of independent investigator Janet Kealey that Cllr Anderson, Conservative member and portfolio holder for environment and place, breached the code of conduct on the grounds:

  • I do not compromise, or attempt to compromise, the impartiality of anyone who works for, or on behalf of, the authority.
  • I do not bring my role or authority into disrepute.
  • I do not use, or attempt to use, my position improperly to the advantage or disadvantage of myself or anyone else.

It is recommended that refresher training be given on the code of conduct as soon as reasonably possible, specifically provided for Cllr Anderson, and councillors and officers referred to in part of the investigator’s report, which has not been made available to the public.

Committee members are also being asked to request that the Queen's Park ward councillor furnish them with a letter of apology.

A report published ahead of the meeting says Cllr Anderson was the subject of a complaint by Independent councillor Stephen Bartlett, which was received by the council on January 26.

The following day, chief executive Graham Farrant and monitoring officer Susan Zeiss “relayed the circumstances of the complaint” to Dorset Police.

The report to the standards committee says: “The chief executive and monitoring officer, then also interviewed the subject councillor, primarily to inform him that a complaint had been made which raised issues of concern which warranted an independent investigation and could result in a referral to the council’s standards committee.

“The subject councillor was accompanied at that meeting by the Conservative Group Manager.”

It adds: “The monitoring officer, after discussions with the chief executive, exercised her discretion to instruct an independent investigation into the complaint.

“She did not consult with the chair or vice chair of standards committee at this stage, as is the usual process outlined in the BCP Council constitution, as those two persons had been in receipt of the email sent by the subject councillor dated 18 January 2023 and which is the subject of this complaint.”

A spokesperson for BCP Council told the Daily Echo: “BCP Council’s standards committee has not yet made any findings in this matter, which will be considered at its meeting scheduled for February 28, 2023.

“It would not be appropriate to speculate on the outcome of the deliberations of the Committee before they are known.”

The Daily Echo approached Cllr Anderson for comment.