Second Uttlesford councillor is cleared of wrongdoing over alleged code of conduct breach

For the second time in a month Uttlesford District Council has dismissed a breach of the code of conduct claim against one of its members.

The authority received a complaint alleging that Councillor Vic Ranger, ward councillor for Great Dunmow South, had breached the council’s code of conduct.

It was alleged that Cllr Ranger had pre-judged a planning application being considered at the planning committee meeting on May 7.

Following an investigation, the monitoring officer concluded that whilst Cllr Ranger was pre-disposed towards the application the evidence showed that he had not pre-judged it and had approached the application with an open mind.

In the circumstances there was no breach of the code of conduct, the monitoring officer said.

A spokesman for the council said: “In accordance with the council’s procedure, the monitoring officer’s report was sent to all members of the Standards Committee, any one of whom could have referred the report to the committee for consideration if they considered it appropriate to do so.

“No such request was received within 10 working days of the report being submitted and therefore the monitoring officer’s decision is final.”

Last month, cabinet member with responsibility for the Local Plan, Cllr Susan Barker, was cleared of breaching the district council’s code of conduct.

It was alleged that Cllr Susan Barker, who represents the Rodings, misled fellow members and brought the local authority into disrepute during a meeting about the Local Plan on April 22.

Michael Perry, the district council’s assistant chief executive and legal chief, who investigated the complaint, found no case to answer.