Previously, anyone wishing to complain about the conduct of elected members had to report their allegations to the Standards Board for England, who would decide whether or not to investigate.

This responsibility has now been taken over by local authorities.

All councillors have to keep to a code of conduct to ensure they maintain the high ethical standards the public expect from them. If a complainant reveals that a potential breach of this code has taken place, the district council may refer the allegations for investigation or decide to take other action.

Investigations themselves will also be managed by the district council, except in cases where a conflict of interest or other circumstances mean it would be more appropriate for the Standards Board to handle the matter.

Independent chairman for the council's standards committee, Elizabeth Bowers, said: "Handling and investigating complaints at a local level will give North Kesteven District Council the opportunity to take control of its ethical standards and should streamline the process for both the complainant and member under investigation.

"The majority of members will never find themselves subject to an investigation but, for the small number of cases where there is cause for concern, we will aim to deal with the allegations quickly and efficiently."

l If you have a complaint about a North Kesteven district councillor, you may write to the Monitoring Officer, North Kesteven District Council, Kesteven Street, Sleaford NG34 7EF, with details of the nature of your complaint.