Town council admits breaching its own policy when it took on two new councillors

Madeley Town Council completed an investigation amid claims that it had ‘knowingly’ breached its policy earlier this year.

Despite admitting to breaching its own policy the council found that it had not broken national guidelines.

The investigation came after the town council’s personnel committee met in June to interview two councillors for as many vacant councillor seats.

“The committee then recommended that we co-opted both candidates and the committee voted unanimously to do so,” said an investigation report.

“This was then announced on the same evening at the full council meeting.”

The following month an email was sent to the town council complaining about the procedure.

The complaint said: “At the meeting of June 19, that your council knowingly breached its own policy for co-option, where it states: ‘The interview panel will report to full council and will have delegated authority to recommend a candidate. The final decision will be by full council.’”

Details of the investigation were discussed at Madeley Town Council’s October meeting during private session, which the public were excluded from.

The investigation report was obtained by the Local Democracy Reporting Service through a Freedom of Information request.

The scope of the investigation was to establish whether the town council had ‘knowingly breached’ its own policy for co-option.

“I agree that the council has breached their co-option policy so this part of the complaint is upheld,” the investigation report concluded.

“The allegation that the council ‘knowingly’ breached their policy is unsubstantiated.

“Advice given was from the Local Council Administration which states that if there are the same number of vacancies as candidates, they can be co-opted in one single resolution.

“It does not state that it needs to be voted on by full council. The internal policy conflicted this guidance. I am satisfied that whilst we may have inadvertently breached an internal policy, we have not contravened any national guidance.”

The council concluded to hold a review looking at the contents of its co-option policy ‘to ensure that any inconsistencies are addressed to align with the national guidance’.

Madeley Town Council currently has a casual vacancy for the Cuckoo Oak ward following the resignation last month of councillor Connor Furnival.

Residents have until December 28 to contact the returning officer to request an election to be held. Ten signatures are needed to any request for an election to be held.

The returning officer’s address is Electoral Services Office, Telford and Wrekin Council, Addenbrooke House, Ironmasters Way, Telford, TF3 4NT and their telephone number for further guidance is (01952) 383210.