Supporting Communities to Tackle Inequalities
Community Issues
Please find below details of issues that have been raised by the community and the action taken by CWEF to deal with them.
If you would like further details, then please email info@cwef.co.uk quoting the Reference Number of the Community Issue you want to know more about.
Open Casework
Closed Casework:
MARCH 2026
Start Date 17/11/25 Reference Number 11/25/04-CWC - Wolverhampton City Council
Details of Community Issue - Criteria and process for becoming an elected councillor - rules around family member applications/appointments and safeguards around Council decision making committees/Full Council
A request for information has been made to Democratic Services. Despite making several telephone calls to Democratic Services, we raised a complaint through customer services on 17/2/26 but this was not replied to either.
CWEF requested the help of an elected Labour Councillor and the following response was received from Alice Peacock
Deputy Electoral Services Manager:
Thank you for your email. Your query has been passed onto our team via Councillor Support. I have provided some guidance for each of your questions below.
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Please could you send me some information about the criteria used to become an elected councillor and details about the process?
The details regarding standing as an candidate in the upcoming local election 2026 are live on our website via this link: Candidates and Agents | City Of Wolverhampton Council.
Further information and guidance can be found on the electoral commissions website: Guidance for Candidates and Agents at local government elections in England | Electoral Commission
2. Please can you also confirm what application checks are made to ensure the applications are in order and by whom?
Once the notice of election is published prospective candidates can book appointments to bring in their nomination paperwork to the Civic Centre to be reviewed at an informal check. This process in conducted by the Elections Team who are designated by the Returning Officer to review candidates paperwork and provide guidance on any amendments that are required before submission. Candidates can then formally submit their paperwork once complete.
The nomination period for the upcoming election on 7 May 2026 is between 10am-4pm on weekdays from the 26 March to 9 April. Electoral Services will be unable to review nominations Good Friday and Easter Monday due to the council building closure. Once this process is complete we publish the statement of persons nominated to our website and public noticeboard.
Further information on the nominations process can be found here: Nominations | Electoral Commission
3. Please could you also confirm what the rules are about family members also being elected?
The qualifications and disqualifications for standing as a candidate in the local elections are provided in detail on the electoral commission website: Qualifications and disqualifications for standing for election | Electoral Commission
For information on the Register of Interests and Full Council your query will need to be forwarded to Democratic Services.
Status - Closed 23/3/26
FEBRUARY 2026
Start Date - 27/8/25 Reference Number - 08/25/03-EMC - Ethnic Minority Council
Details of Community Issue - Ethnic Minority Council (EMC)– CWEF had been approached to request a copy of EMC's complaint’s policy and procedure. A request was made for a copy of EMCs complaints policy and procedure; a week later EMC sent a Complaints (enquiry form) but not the actual policy or procedure. Following a conversation with an EMC Officer on 23/2/26, it was ascertained that a Complaints Policy is now in place, here is the link and policy:
Ethnic Minority Council Complaints Policy & Form
Status - Closed 23/2/26
NOVEMBER 2025
Start Date - 15/10/24 Reference Number - 01/25/01-CWC-GB - City of Wolverhampton Council
Details of Community Issue - Councillor Greg Brackenridge falsely claiming to have served as a Royal Marine – breach of Councillor Code of Conduct. CWEF contacted City of Wolverhampton Council (CWC) to ask what action they would be taking. No response was received, so after several weeks we submitted a formal complaint to Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO). 26/8/25 LGSCO advised that CWC would reply by 4/9/25 – CWEF still did not receive a response received so CWEF contacted LGSCO again. On 26/11/25 CWEF received the following:
Issued on behalf of Legal Services
"I can confirm that the Governance and Ethics Sub-Committee met on 28 July 2025 to determine the complaint against Councillor Greg Brackenridge. The minutes of the Sub-Committee hearing can be found hear ((Public Pack)Minutes Document for Governance and Ethics Sub-Committee, 28/07/2025 09:30).
A Decision Notice was also published in relation to the Complaint and can be found using the following link (Decisions 28072025 0930 Governance and Ethics Sub-Committee.pdf). I would also like to inform you that all the background papers relating to the investigation are available on the Councils website using the link below:
Sarah Campbell, Customer Engagement Manager
Status - Closed 26/11/25
MARCH 2025
Start Date - 1/2/25 Reference Number - 01/25/02-CWC/TJSSDP - City of Wolverhampton Council
Details of Community Issue - CWC not adhering to CWC Corporate Complaints Policy. CWEF wrote to CWC to raise a concern informally in line with their complaints policy. After an initial acknowledgment, no reply was received from CWC. 26/3/25 Decision from LGSCO: ‘We do not consider the failure to follow the corporate complaint process has caused a significant personal injustice.’
CWEF note that CWC Corporate Complaints Policy was however updated on 26 March 2025 - Version 2.2 now includes
Revisions for LGSCO Complaint Handling Code 4. Service Requests 5. Formal Complaints 6. Formal Complaints Process;
Stage one, Stage two, Independent 11. Exceptions and Exclusions 12. Complaint Monitoring 15. Equality, Diversity and
Inclusion
Status - Closed 26/3/25