Monitoring Officer
The Monitoring Officer has the specific duty to ensure that the council, its officers and its elected members maintain the highest standard of conduct in all they do. The legal basis for the post is found in section 5 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, as amended by schedule 5, paragraph 24 of the Local Government Act 2000.
The monitoring officer has three main roles:
- to report on matters he or she believes are, or are likely to be, illegal or amount to maladministration
- to be responsible for matters relating to the conduct of councillors and the ethical conduct of officers
- to be responsible for the operation of the council’s constitution
The roles and responsibilities of the Monitoring Officer are outlined in Part 5E - Monitoring Officer Protocol of the Central Bedfordshire Council Constitution.
The Monitoring Officer considers complaints made about the conduct of councillors.