Decision notice: The MPA's Assessment Sub-committee meeting of 12 October 2010

Decision: No Action

The Assessment Sub-committee decided unanimously that no action should be taken on the complaint.

MPA Case Reference: October 01/10

Complaint

On 14 October 2010 the Assessment Sub-committee of the MPA’s Standards Committee convened in private and considered a complaint from Mr Michael Cookson, a member of the public, against Jenny Jones, a member of the MPA.

Set out below is a summary of the complaint

The Complainant complained about alleged comments he heard Jenny Jones, Member of the MPA, make during an interview broadcast on the BBC World at One on 22 July 2010. Mr Cookson asserted that when Jenny Jones was interviewed on the programme she was introduced as a member of the MPA and asks whether she was speaking as an authorised spokesperson on behalf of the MPA. He further expressed unhappiness with the tone and manner she adopted during the interview, expressed the view that she had overstepped her remit, and questioned whether she should continue in her role as a member of the MPA.

Reasons for decision

The Assessment Sub-committee carefully considered all correspondence from the Complainant, guidance from Standards for England, and relevant paragraphs of the MPA’s Code of Conduct (“the Code”):

In respect of whether this complaint fell within the scope of the Code, Members agreed it was not clear whether, on the information provided, that she was acting, claiming to act or giving the impression she was acting as a representative of the Authority. On balance however, they considered that as the allegation was that she had been introduced as a member of the MPA, and she did not at that point say that she was not speaking on behalf of the Authority, then it would have been reasonable for members of the public to conclude that she was giving the impression that she was acting as a representative of the Authority.

Members looked at all paragraphs of the Code of Conduct, and concluded that the only relevant part of the Code which could be considered applicable in this instance was paragraph 5 “You must not conduct yourself in a manner which could reasonably be regarded as bringing your office or authority into disrepute.”

Members considered that the Code and standards regime were not designed to constrain members’ freedom to express opinions, criticisms or ideas, or to inhibit Members’ desire to represent their constituencies. They acknowledged that Jenny Jones’s comments may have offended some people, but noted that she had been commenting on a matter of public interest and was expressing a view that could also be shared by other people.

Members did not consider that her alleged conduct brought her office or the Authority into disrepute as it did not either:

1. reduce the public’s confidence in her being able to fulfil her role; or
2.  adversely affect the reputation of members generally in being able to fulfil their role.

The Assessment Sub-committee concluded therefore, that the complaint did not provide any evidence that there was a potential breach of the Code by Jenny Jones and decided, accordingly, to take no action on the complaint.

Confidentiality and publication

The complainant, Mr Cookson, did not request that his identity and a summary of his complaint be withheld from Jenny Jones, and taking into account the public interest and whether any such disclosure would prejudice any investigation, the MPA’s Assessment Sub-committee decided that these details should be provided to Jenny Jones.
This Decision Notice has been sent to the Complainant, Mr Cookson, and Jenny Jones and will be published by the MPA for a period of six years.

Right to review

The Complainant has the right to ask for this decision to be reviewed, by writing to the MPA’s Monitoring Officer, Helen Sargeant, within 30 days from the date of this notice, and explaining in detail on what grounds the decision should be reviewed.

If a request for a review is received, this will be dealt with by a Review Sub-committee of the MPA’s Standards Committee within a maximum of three months of receipt.
Any Review Sub-committee will be comprised of individuals who were not involved in the original decision, and the Review Sub-committee can review and change the Assessment Sub-committee’s decision to take no action. If there is a request for a review, all the parties mentioned above will be notified in writing of the outcome.

Composition of the Assessment Sub-committee

Throughout its meeting, the MPA’s Assessment Sub-committee was composed of the following members:

• Anne Dickens (Independent Member of the Standards Committee and Chair for the meeting)
• Janet Gray (Independent Member of the Standards Committee)
• Christopher Boothman (Independent Member)

Date: 19 October 2010

Signed by

Anne Dickens
Chair of the Assessment Sub-committee

Helen Sargeant
Monitoring Officer of the Metropolitan Police Authority

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