Shropshire Council defends how it handles complaints

The authority's chief executive Clive Wright said its procedure for dealing with complaints is "measured and proportionate".

It comes after former council leader Keith Barrow called for a review of the way complaints to councils are passed to the police to investigate.

Mr Wright sought to clarify that there had been two complaints involving Mr Barrow, one which was investigated by the council and concluded that the former leader had breached its code of conduct, and a second relating to a declaration of interest, which was passed to the police.

After looking at the complaint for eight months police decided to dismiss the investigation completely earlier this month.

Mr Wright said: "Shropshire Council's procedure for complaints and investigations is measured and proportionate, indeed it is far less onerous than that of many councils around the country.

"The resources expended in this instance were minimal given the serious allegations made.

"Ex-councillor Keith Barrow was found to have breached the code of conduct by his fellow peers.

"The police investigation related to a separate matter to that addressed by Shropshire Council.

"The facts of that complaint were different to those regarding the breach of the council's code of conduct. The council co-operated fully with the police throughout, and again the resources expended were minimal."

West Mercia Police also defended its own process and said it had a duty to investigate reports that suggest alleged misconduct.

In a statement issued through his solicitor Paul Bennett, Mr Barrow had said the legal obligation for councils to investigate complaints "irrespective of their merit" should be reviewed.

Mr Bennett said: "The wider issue for Mr Barrow remains that the current manner in which complaints are managed by both the police and the council is a significant drain upon their resources and that by necessity resources have been expended in dealing with a misconceived complaint. The legal obligation to investigate such complaints, irrespective of their obvious lack of merit, does require a review and amending.

"The decision to refer matters of political life to the police is an unfortunate recent development. It does nothing to enhance the reputation of any council or public body, and is, often, as in this case, very wasteful in terms of police resources."