Deputies in dark over when complaints will be dealt with

Deputies Mary Lowe, Paul Le Pelley and Lyndon Trott face complaints from the Guernsey Disability Alliance and the Guernsey Community Foundation in relation to alleged comments about Deputy Marc Leadbeater's ability to carry out his political work because of his disabled son.

The Members' Conduct Panel is due to be reappointed at the start of next month, which has fuelled speculation that the matter might be held over until the new members are in place.

Under the rules of procedure, once a complaint has been made it is up to the chairman of the panel to decide if there is a prima facie case to answer, at which point he or she would notify those who are the subject of the complaint and give them the opportunity to respond. An investigation would then begin.

Current chairman Chris Day, a former Deputy Bailiff, has said that he will not be involved.

None of the three members facing complaints has yet been asked to give their response.

Deputy Mary Lowe said she knew of the pending change of panel personnel, but did not believe this should hold up consideration of the complaint.

But she said she does not know what is going to happen next. 'I don't know how long they normally take.'

She and the other deputies received news that a complaint had been lodged at about 4.20pm on Tuesday 14 February. 'I have not heard anything else since,' said Deputy Lowe.

Deputy Paul Le Pelley said he was unaware of any possible hold-up in addressing the complaint. 'That's news to me,' he said, when told of the panel being due to be reappointed.

Deputy Le Pelley said he had been informed that Members' Conduct Panel deputy chairman Advocate Nick Tostevin would be presiding over the matter. The other two deputies said that they had also been told the same.

'I don't think there is a case to answer,' said Deputy Le Pelley, adding that as yet he had not been made aware of the specific allegations against him.

'I will make a public statement as soon as I hear the charges against me,' he said, adding that he wanted the issue to be resolved as soon as possible.

Policy and Resources vice-president Lyndon Trott said one of the problems with the process was that those who have been complained against have not been kept in the loop as to how it is proceeding and he has been unable to find out exactly when the matter will be heard.

He has voluntarily stepped back from involvement in P&R matters pending the outcome of the complaint, although he stresses that he is continuing with his parish constituency work.

'I don't know how long this is going to take,' he said.

He did not expect the complaint against him to proceed: 'I will be genuinely surprised if I am not completely pushed out of this process at the first hurdle.'

WE HAVE been asked to clarify that the three deputies who are the subject of complaints under the code of conduct have each received two complaints against them.

Complaints to the Members' Conduct Panel have been made against deputies Mary Lowe, Paul Le Pelley and Lyndon Trott by the Guernsey Disability Alliance and the Guernsey Community Foundation.

Yesterday, we stated that Deputy Lowe had received two complaints while the other deputies had received one each.

The Guernsey Press is happy to clarify the situation.