Complaints about States Members or States Greffe employees
The Commissioner for Standards is responsible for considering complaints about the conduct of States Members
How to complain about a States Member
States Members are expected to behave in accordance with the Code of Conduct for Elected Members, which is set out in Schedule 3 of the Standing Orders of the States of Jersey (right at the end).
Download the Standing Orders of the States of Jersey.
If you believe that a States Member has breached that Code of Conduct, you should write to the Commissioner for Standards, c/o States Greffe, Morier House, Halkett Place, St. Helier, Jersey, JE1 1DD or by e-mail to
commissionerforstandards@gov.je. Before submitting a complaint, read the States Greffe Privacy Policy.
The current Commissioner is Dr Melissa McCullough. The Commissioner is appointed by the Privileges and Procedures Committee ('PPC') and may also initiate investigations of their own accord if they believe a breach has occurred. The Commissioner has the powers to summon people and records as part of any investigation.
The Commissioner will not accept any complaint -
- which is made anonymously;
- which they believe to be frivolous, vexatious or unsubstantiated; or
- from someone (who is not a member of the States) about the words or actions of an elected member during a meeting of the States.
Upon receipt of a complaint, the Commissioner will decide whether there are grounds to investigate. If there are no grounds for an investigation, the complainant will be notified. Otherwise, the Commissioner will undertake an investigation and report to PPC with their conclusions and recommendations as to what action, if any, should be taken.
PPC must then review the Commissioner's report and give the States member who was the subject of the complaint an opportunity to address PPC (accompanied, should that member so wish). PPC must then decide whether the Code of Conduct has been breached and what action, if any, to take. It must then inform the member concerned of its decision. The Committee may also report its findings to the Assembly, either by means of a written report or by means of an oral statement by the Chairman of PPC.
Commissioner for Standards' Guidance.
How to complain about a Minister or Assistant Minister
All Ministers and Assistant Ministers are expected to comply at all times with the Code of Conduct for Elected Members. However, they are also expected to comply with the Code of Conduct and Practice for Ministers and Assistant Ministers, which is adopted by the Council of Ministers in accordance with Article 18(3A)(b) of the States of Jersey Law 2005.
Download the Code of Conduct and Practice for Ministers and Assistant Ministers.
The Commissioner for Standards is also responsible for investigating complaints against Ministers and Assistant Ministers. If you believe that a Minister, or Assistant Minister, has breached the Code of Conduct and Practice for Ministers and Assistant Ministers, you should write to the Commissioner, c/o States Greffe, Morier House, Halkett Place, St. Helier, Jersey, JE1 1DD.
Before submitting a complaint, read the States Greffe Privacy Policy.
The procedures that apply to the Commissioner and PPC for complaints against States members also apply in respect of complaints against Ministers and Assistant Ministers. However, for complaints against Ministers and Assistant Ministers, PPC may choose simply to publish the Commissioner's report without taking any further action itself. This affords the Chief Minister, rather than PPC, the opportunity to decide whether the Code of Conduct for Ministers and Assistant Ministers has been breached and, if so, what action to take.
Commissioner for Standards' Guidance.
Complaints received by the Commissioner
Complaint reference: 1/17
Member concerned: Deputy A. Lewis
Relevant paragraph of Code of Conduct: Paragraph 5 (Maintaining the integrity of the States)
Date received: 07.09.2017
Status: CLOSED - duplication of earlier complaint resolved by PPC.
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Complaint reference: 2/17
Member concerned: Deputy M.R. Higgins
Date received: 07.09.2017
Relevant paragraph of Code of Conduct: Paragraphs 6 and 8 (Public comments etc. regarding a States' employee or officer and Access to confidential information)
Status: Full investigation complete - Report submitted to PPC on 24.05.2018 and presented to the States on 23.01.2019 (R.7/2019).
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Complaint reference: 3/17
Member concerned: Deputy S.Y. Mezec
Date received: 08.09.2017
Relevant paragraph of Code of Conduct: Paragraph 5 (Maintaining the integrity of the States)
Status: CLOSED - frivolous / vexatious
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Complaint reference: 4/17
Member concerned: Senator P.F.C. Ozouf
Date received: 09.10.2017 and self referral on 22.11.2017
Alleged breaches of both Code of Conduct for Elected Members and Code of Conduct and Practice for Ministers and Assistant Ministers: Articles 3 and 5 (Personal Conduct and Maintaining the integrity of the States)
Status: Full investigation complete - Report submitted to PPC on 19.02.2018 and presented to the States on 05.03.2018 (R.22/2018).
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Complaint reference: 5/17
Members concerned: Senator A.K.F. Green M.B.E. and Deputy E.J. Noel
Date received: 22.12.2017
Alleged breach of Code of Conduct re. planning issue and documents / information supplied: Articles 3 and 5 (Personal conduct and Maintaining the integrity of the States)
Status: Full investigation complete - Report submitted to PPC on 04.04.2018 and presented to the States on 06.04.2018 (R.43/2018).
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Complaint reference: 1/18
Member concerned: Deputy R.G. Bryans
Date received: 24.01.2018
Relevant paragraph of Code of Conduct: Paragraph 5 (Maintaining the integrity of the States)
Status: Full investigation complete - Report submitted to PPC on 04.04.2018 and presented to the States on 06.04.2018 (R.44/2018).
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Complaint reference: 2/18
Member concerned: Deputy S.Y. Mezec
Date received: 14.02.2018
Relevant paragraph of Code of Conduct: Paragraph 5 (Maintaining the integrity of the States)
Status: CLOSED - frivolous / vexatious
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Complaint reference: 3/18
Member concerned: Senator S.C. Ferguson
Date received: 23.02.2018
Relevant paragraph of Code of Conduct: Paragraph 3 (Personal conduct)
Status: Full investigation complete - remedial action agreed - Report submitted to PPC on 19.02.2018 and presented to the States on 16.03.2018 (R.30/2018).
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Complaint reference: 4/18
Status: CLOSED - lack of evidence
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Complaint refererence: 5/18
Status: CLOSED - failure by Complainant to respond
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Complaint reference: 6/18
Member concerned: Deputy S.Y. Mezec
Date received: 03.04.2018
Relevant paragraph of Code of Conduct: Paragraph 5 (Maintaining the integrity of the States)
Status: Full investigation complete - Report submitted to PPC on 26.03.2018 and presented to the States on 30.04.2018 (R.63/2018).
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Complaint reference: 7/18
Status: CLOSED - concerned a Member's views or opinions
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Complaint reference: 8/18
Status: CLOSED - not within the scope of the Code of Conduct
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Complaint reference: 9/18
Status: CLOSED - outside the remit of the Commissioner for Standards
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Complaint reference: 1/19
Status: CLOSED - no prima facie breach of the Code of Conduct
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Complaint reference: 2/19
Member concerned: Deputy M. Tadier
Date received: Self-referral on 02.04.2019 and complaint received 11.04.2019
Relevant paragraph of the Code of Conduct: Paragraph 6 (Public comments etc. regarding a States' employee or officer)
Status: Report submitted to PPC on 16.05.2019 and presented to the States on 13.09.2019 (R.118/2019)
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Complaint reference: 3/19
Member concerned: Deputy S.J. Pinel
Date received: 13.05.2019
Relevant paragraph of the Code of Conduct: Paragraph 2 (Public duty)
Status: Report submitted to PPC on 11.06.19 and presented to the States on 20.06.2019 (R.74/2019)
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Complaint reference: 4/19
Status: CLOSED - concerned policy matters, or a Members' views or opinions
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Complaint reference: 1/20
Status: CLOSED - no prima facie breach of the Code of Conduct
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Complaint reference: 2/20
Member concerned: Deputy S.M. Wickenden
Date received: 18.05.2020
Relevant paragraph of Code of Conduct: Paragraph 5 (Maintaining the integrity of the States)
Status: Report submitted to PPC on 12.06.2020 and presented to the States on 19.06.2020 (R.61/2020)
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Complaint reference: 3/20
Status: CLOSED - outside of remit of the Commissioner for Standards
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Complaint reference: 4/20
Status: CLOSED - outside of remit of the Commissioner for Standards
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Complaint reference: 5/20
Status: CLOSED - outside of remit of the Commissioner for Standards
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Complaint reference: 6/20
Status: CLOSED - outside of remit of the Commissioner for Standards
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Complaint reference: 7/20
Member concerned: Deputy M. Tadier
Date received: 17.06.2020
Relevant paragraph of Code of Conduct: Paragraph 5 (Maintaining the integrity of the States)
Status: Report submitted to PPC on 09.07.2020 and presented to the States on 15.07.2020 (R.72/2020)
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Complaint reference: 8/20
Status: Pending
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Complaint reference: 9/20
Status: CLOSED - complaint not made in accordance with requirements
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Complaint reference: 10/20
Status: CLOSED - complaint not made in accordance with requirements
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Complaint reference: 11/20
Status: CLOSED - outside of remit of the Commissioner for Standards
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Complaint reference: 12/20
Status : CLOSED - outside of remit of the Commissioner for Standards
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Complaint reference: 1/21
Status: CLOSED - no prima facie breach of the Code of Conduct
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Complaint reference: 2/21
Status: CLOSED - social media dispute
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Complaint refererence: 3/21
Status: CLOSED - social media dispute
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Complaint reference: 4/21
Member concerned: Deputy I. Gardiner
Date received: self referral on 17.03.2021
Relevant paragraph of the Code of Conduct: Paragraph 6 (Public comments etc. regarding a States' employee or officer)
Status: Report submitted to PPC on 24.03.2021 and presented to the States on 01.04.2021 (R.53/2021)
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Complaint reference: 5/21
Member concerned: Connetable R. Buchanan
Date received: self referral on 24.03.2021
Relevant paragraph of the Code of Conduct: Paragraph 5 (Maintaining the integrity of the States)
Status: Report submitted to PPC on 26.03.2021 and presented to the States on 01.04.2021 (R.55/2021)
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Complaint reference: 6/2021
Member concerned: Deputy R. Huelin
Date received: self referral on 24.03.2021
Relevant paragraph of the Code of Conduct: Paragraph 5 (Maintaining the integrity of the States)
Status: Report submitted to PPC on 26.03.2021 and presented to the States on 01.04.2021 (R.54/2021)
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Complaint reference: 7/2021
Member concerned: Senator K. Moore
Date recieved: 30.03.2021
Relevant paragraph of the Code of Conduct: Paragraph 5 (Maintaining the integrity of the States) and Paragraph 6 (Public comments etc. regarding a States' employee)
Status: Report submitted to PPC on 26.04.2021 and presented to the States on 30.04.2021 (R.69/2021)
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Complaint reference: 8/2021
Status: CLOSED - no prima facie breach of the Code of Conduct
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Complaint reference: 9/2021
Status: CLOSED - complaint not made in accordance with requirements
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Complaint reference 10/2021
Status: CLOSED - complaint not made in accordance with requirements
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Complaint reference 12/2021
Status: CLOSED - complaint not made in accordance with requirements
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Complaint reference 13/2021
Status : CLOSED - outside of remit of the Commissioner for Standards
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Complaint reference 14/2021
Member concerned: Deputy M. Higgins
Relevant paragraph of the Code of Conduct: Paragraph 8 (8 Access to confidential information) and Paragraph 6 (Public comments etc. regarding a States' employee)
Status: Report submitted to PPC on 20.12.2021 and presented to the States on 5th January 2022.
How to complain about an employee of the States Greffe
If you wish to make a complaint about an employee of the States Greffe (including staff employed in the Scrutiny Office), you should put your complaint, in writing, to:
The Greffier of the States
States Greffe
Morier House
Halkett Place
St. Helier
Jersey
JE1 1DD
The Greffier will investigate your complaint and make a decision on it.
The Greffier and Deputy Greffier must abide by a specific Code of Conduct.
Download the Code of Conduct for the Greffier and Deputy Greffier.
If you have a complaint about the Deputy Greffier, you should put it in writing to the Greffier at the address above.
If you have a complaint about the Greffier, you should put it in writing to either
The Chair of PPC
c/o States Greffe
Morier House
Halkett Place
St. Helier
Jersey
JE1 1DD
or to:
The Bailiff
Bailiff's Chambers
Royal Court House
Royal Square
St. Helier
Jersey
JE1 1BA
The way in which the Greffier, Deputy Greffier and officers of the States Greffe are appointed and dismissed is set out in Part 6 of the States of Jersey Law 2005.
Download the States of Jersey Law 2005.
