Governance, Audit, Risk Management and Standards Committee (GARMS)
Barnet Council's GARMS committee recently heard about an increase in councillor complaints and a code of conduct breach.
Barnet Council's Governance, Audit, Risk Management and Standards Committee (GARMS), which oversees governance and standards, was informed in September 2026 by the council's Monitoring Officer, Jessica Farmer, that complaints about Barnet councillors increased slightly, with nine cases handled between March 2025 and April 2026.
Most complaints were filtered out at the initial stage due to a lack of merit, but one case did result in a breach of the code of conduct, leading to training. The most common complaint received was councillors not responding to correspondence.
Key facts
- Nine complaints about Barnet councillors were handled between March 2025 and April 2026. Source
- This was an increase from eight complaints in the previous year. Source
- One case resulted in a breach of the code of conduct. Source
- The council's Monitoring Officer reported these findings to GARMS in September 2026. Source
- The most common complaint was councillors not responding to correspondence. Source
About this summary
This summary was written automatically from our published stories and the council meeting records they draw on. It describes what councils have discussed and decided; it does not take a view on any decision. Each key fact links to the story it comes from. Updated 30 September 2026. Spotted a mistake? Email community@opencouncil.network.