Mundesley Parish Council reject NNDC recommendations to reprimand councillor
Mundesley Christmas pageant cheque hand over. Brian Whittaker-Wright, on the stairs. Left to right Laura Stango, Jo Berry and Leigh Caudwell. In front is Mario Stango. - Credit: Archant
The Mundesley Parish Council has rejected a recommendation from the North Norfolk District Council to remove a councillor from her position as vice chairman, following accusations of her breaching the code of conduct and bullying members of council staff.
Councillor Laura Stango, vice chairman of the parish council, was bought before the NNDC Standard's Committee in July 2017.
However the Mundesley Parish Council has chosen to support Councillor Stango and not to remove her from the council or reprimand her for the allegations brought against her.
The council has instead elected to adhere closely to their new code of conduct produced early last year, as well as submitting all councillors to undergo training in ethics and standards.
This decision was taken at the October 2017 extraordinary council meeting.
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The Standards Board at the NNDC suggested had previously suggested that Councillor Stango should be: reprimanded by the MPC, the councillor should undergo training in ethics and standards, that the councillor in question should be removed from positions of authority, and that the councillor should be further reprimanded for breaching the code of conduct.
They made these recommendations on the basis that: 'Her behaviour would continue to bring Mundesley PC into disrepute' as well as having concerns about 'the patterns of behaviour emerging in relation to the conduct of Mundesley PC'.
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At the time a Mundesley resident, who did not wish to be named, said: 'It's very sad really because it brings shame on our parish council.'
The MPC however has chosen to back Councillor Stango and vote against these recommendations, and undertake the ethics and standards taking as a council as a whole.
In the minutes from the MPC meeting, the MPC said: 'Council had adopted a new code of conduct earlier in the year and all Councillors have signed to say they have received a copy.
'The Chair also noted that he will be providing a report to the monitoring officer on how Council are complying with this recommendation.'
The Mundesley Parish Council and their councillors did not wish to make a comment when approached by this paper.
An NNDC spokesman said: 'The Standards Committee of the District Council met in early October to consider the draft minutes from Mundesley Parish Council which indicated that they were not minded to accept some of the recommendations of the Standards Committee, specifically those which were intended to address the behaviour of Cllr Stango.
'The Standards Committee expressed their concern and disappointment that the Parish Council had decided not to accept the recommendations.
'The Standards regime relating to Parish Councils does not allow the District Council to enforce the implementation of sanctions against parish councils.'
