Code of conduct complaint about former Falmouth mayor

Falmouth town councillor Zoe Young complained to Cornwall Council about former Falmouth mayor Cllr Kirstie Edwards who had reported her to the police over her conduct towards her.

Cllr Young claimed that the complaint to the police by Cllr Edwards may have breached the Code of Conduct.

She said that because of the complaint she felt distressed and no longer felt safe carrying out her obligations as a councillor and was limited with regards to the duties she could undertake as a councillor.

In his report to a meeting of Falmouth Town Council on Monday night, town clerk Mark Williams told councillors that the complaint had not been upheld by a Cornwall Council adjudicator on the grounds that it ‘does not demonstrate a breach of the code’.

Cllr Kirstie Edwards had complained to he police about Cllr Zoe Young's behaviour towards her (Image: File)

In his findings, Simon Mansell, Group Manager (Assurance), said that the code cannot, and should not, prevent any person from seeking a resolution to matters of concerns to them via other agencies if they wish to do so.

Therefore there was nothing to prevent Cllr Edwards from referring her concerns to the police.

“The Code of Conduct is set in place to ensure that there is a set standard of conduct for all elected members,” he said his findings.

“Once the referral is made the consideration of the complaint is then undertaken by the police and this process has no power to intervene in this process or to consider how the approach by the police was undertaken.

“Should the outcome of the police enquires mean that it may not be possible for the complainant to undertake some of her activities as a councillor, this is a matter for the police to consider, not this process.

“As a result, of considering the above this complaint is rejected under paragraphs 3.3(iii) of the procedures adopted by Cornwall Council as no breach of the Code is demonstrated.”

Earlier in the meeting lead by Cllr Alan Rowe in his new role as town mayor, Cllr Young complained that the minutes did not reflect the fact that she wasn’t allowed to complete her three minute slot to address an earlier finding by Cornwall Council that she had breached the code of conduct.

However, Cllr Rowe, rejected the claim saying he was there and he knew she was given her allotted time and the minutes were endorsed.