Councillors will be reminded to treat each other with respect by the mayor of Brighton and Hove at the next full council meeting.

The announcement came after Green councillor Sue Shanks spoke about poor behaviour when she addressed Brighton and Hove City Council’s audit and standards committee.

Councillor Shanks said that members’ behaviour at council meetings had deteriorated and she wanted a better way to handle the resulting complaints.

She called for something less than a full hearing and more than complaints just being dismissed.

Councillor Shanks told the audit and standards committee that behaviour at several meetings had fallen below acceptable standards with some councillors making personal remarks rather than sticking to the subject being debated.

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She said: “In the House of Commons, they call each other honourable members. I’m not suggesting that necessarily but I do think we need to agree that we’re all doing an important piece of public work. We need to be respected for that.

“It’s been particularly difficult for some of our newer members in our group, maybe in other groups as well, where they feel personally attacked.

“We want to encourage more people to become councillors because a lot of the time it’s a great role.

“Personally, I’ve enjoyed it a lot. That’s why I’ve continued to do it. But when I find myself being quite upset by it or upset by the way I’ve personally been treated, I think that’s enough.

“I think I’m quite robust. Having been a youth worker in my past life, I’m used to being sworn at.

“It felt to me the behaviour has gone further than I expected because I went home feeling quite upset about it.”

Independent councillor Peter Atkinson said that Councillor Shanks’s comments were a “timely reminder” on how members should behave at meetings.

He asked for a reminder to all chairs of all committees on how to deal with unacceptable behaviour.

Labour councillor Joy Robinson said that all councillors were responsible for conducting themselves in an appropriate way in line with the “seven principles of public life” – also known as the Nolan principles.

The seven principles were selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership.

Green councillor Pete West, who chairs the audit and standards committee, said that the standards arrangements were regularly reviewed and training was given to help councillors comply with the code of conduct.

He said: “Whatever the provocations members must never make personal comments. I appreciate Councillor Shanks’s concerns about member behaviour extend to committees too and I hope this positive action by the mayor will show the way forward at all levels.”

The full council is due to meet, with the mayor, Councillor Jackie O’Quinn, in the chair, at 4.30pm today. The meeting is scheduled to be webcast on the council’s website.