Grimsby and Cleethorpes MP Melanie Onn has slammed the local government system as “powerless” and called for urgent reforms. She warned that too many residents “can’t fully trust” their elected councillors.
Crackdown After Councillors with Criminal Convictions Stay in Office
The call comes amid rising anger over North East Lincolnshire Council and councils nationwide failing to act against councillors caught up in serious offences. Shocking gaps in the law have let some keep their seats, sparking public outrage.
New Laws to Clean Up Local Politics
Ms Onn is backing fresh government plans to set a national code of conduct for all councillors. The reforms would give councils the power to:
- Suspend councillors for serious misconduct
- Cut allowances where behaviour is unacceptable
- Hit repeat offenders with stronger penalties
“When bad behaviour goes unpunished, it damages trust in local government as a whole,” said Ms Onn. “These reforms will finally give councils the tools they need to act quickly and fairly.”
Rebuilding Public Trust Is Key
Ms Onn stressed that tough new laws are essential to restore faith in local politics and hold councillors to the standards expected of them.
“Too many residents feel they can’t fully trust local government,” she said. “That’s why I’m backing tough new laws to clean up local politics.”
