Complaints about councillors soar

External investigators have had be brought in at Staffordshire County Council to meet demand after the level of complaints made against elected members soared from 12 to 168 in a year.

Comments made on social media sparked the vast majority of complaints made between May 2026 and April 2026 – 135 in total – and 144 out of 168 were made against Reform UK members – 85.7%.

There were 19 complaints made against Conservative members – 11.3% of the share – and five lodged against independent members or other political groups.

Most of the complaints – 138 – were made by members of the public, while 24 were submitted by fellow councillors, 3 by parish councillors and one by an MP.