Internal council investigations
Islington Council is currently discussing the appropriate referral of criminal allegations arising from internal investigations to the police.
Islington Council's Audit and Risk Committee discussed the handling of criminal allegations arising from internal council investigations in March 2026. Councillor Satnam Gill OBE urged that criminal allegations should be handled by the police, not internal council investigations, citing concerns over the threshold for pursuing such cases internally. He stated that if there is an indication of a criminal offence, the decision to proceed should be left to the police.
This discussion arose during a review of the biennial whistleblowing monitoring report, which detailed several allegations that were not pursued due to insufficient evidence for internal action. Councillor Gill expressed concerns that criminal activity could be overlooked if not referred to the police, highlighting the ongoing debate about the scope and limits of internal council investigations into misconduct or policy breaches.
Key facts
- In March 2026, Councillor Satnam Gill OBE urged that criminal allegations should be handled by the police, not internal council investigations. Source
- Councillor Gill raised concerns over the threshold for pursuing criminal cases internally and the potential for criminal activity to be overlooked. Source
- The discussion took place at Islington Council's Audit and Risk Committee on March 19, 2026. Source
- The issue arose during a discussion on the biennial whistleblowing monitoring report. 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.