Durham County Council reveals its investigations into claims of councillor misconduct at Romaldkirk Parish Council cost upwards of £60,000.
After receiving nine complaints about four of Romaldkirk’s councillors between January and June 2023, Durham County Council launched an investigation into the behaviour of the subject members.
In a summary of the complaints, the investigating officer outlined the councillors’ allegedly unlawful use of funds, as well as claims relating to their ‘disrespectful’ conduct and ‘behaviour that may be characterised as bullying’.
According to the BBC, Ivan Carter-Becker, a representative of the councillors, said the report was not ‘fair, reasoned, or justified and it should never have been put forward’.
However, in Durham County Council’s decision notice, Cllr Kathryn Rooney reinforced the ‘seriousness’ of the incidents and declared the councillors must face sanctions including censure and code of conduct training, with ‘no right of appeal’.
Helen Bradley, Durham County Council’s director of legal and democratic services, said: ‘The cost of dealing with the code of conduct complaints relating to Romaldkirk Parish Council between January 2023 and March 2025 totalled £62,989.’
Following the outcome of the investigations, Romaldkirk Parish Council offers no further statement.
