In March 23 I lodged complaints against two councillors: Mr Bingley headed the council at that time, and Ms Smith represented Plymstock Radford where many people were fined and harassed by council wardens.

The Head of PCC Legal Services wrote to inform me that Mr Bingley was not involved in the day-to-day business of what the wardens did, and that the matter was not in his portfolio. This was a 'service matter'.

The fact that he was chief of the council seems to imply a certain responsibility for the conduct of staff. Apparently this is not so.

Regarding the complaint about Ms Smith, I am told she was a Cabinet member and had less time for ward matters than would otherwise have been the case. Further, as  (out of frustration at not receiving a reply from her)I contacted the other five local councillors as well, she thought that she did not need to follow up. If you recall, one of the councillors, Mr Wakeham, sent my letter to the Department of Environmental Health, presumably to put an end to the complaint.

So, all in all, it seems to me that the council interprets the Nolan Principles rather differently to the rest of us. What I would consider a dereliction of duty by Ms Smith and an abuse of power by Mr Bingley seems not counter the terms of office of our local representatives.

"This therefore concludes my assessment of your complaint. There is no right of appeal against this under the Council's arrangement for handling allegation against Members of PCC.

The Local Government and Social care Ombudsman does not offer a right of appeal against a Council's decision on member conduct complaints but can consider if there was fault in the way the Council considered the complaint. Complaints will only be investigated if there is sufficient injustice to warrant such actions or if it is in the public interest to do so."