Serial complainers who knowingly abuse or harass staff and councillors should be barred from local authority buildings or even prosecuted, a council report has recommended.
The proposals come in a safeguarding report on the growing trend of abusive and vexatious complaints and allegations towards individuals, often made on social media.
A report to Sandwell Council’s cabinet says that under the guise of legitimate complaints or requests for information staff often have to deal with threatening, racist, sexist or homophobic comments and behaviour, sometimes made by the same individual many times over.
In addition, they can suffer untrue and deliberately misleading and defamatory statements about themselves and their colleagues.
Councillors are being asked to adopt a policy which allows a range of sanctions against serial complainers who abuse staff. They include: limiting contact with employees, requiring witness be present during face-to-face meetings, denying access to buildings and removing people from council buildings if necessary.
The proposal also recommends taking legal action either through the police or through civil courts if necessary.
Saying Sandwell’s residents have the right and ability to question and challenge the council, the report adds: "However, it is also recognised that residents expect that such rights should not be abused and that no one, whether a member of council staff, another member of the public, council service user or a councillor, should be subjected to unacceptable behaviour."
If the policy is accepted , anyone sanctioned by the council for abusive behaviour will be able have ask for review of the decision before making an appeal to the Local Government Ombudsman for a final decision.
Senior councillors will discuss the report at a meeting of the cabinet on Wednesday, June 27.
