Members of Cheshire's police and crime panel are meeting this week to consider claims the police commissioner breached the code of conduct by backing the Labour candidate in a recent Warrington Borough Council by-election.

The panel's complaints management sub-committee will consider three allegations against police and crime commissioner Dan Price (Labour).

The commissioner's office has said there is no evidence the code of conduct was breached.

Two of the complaints have come from John Roddy, the Reform UK candidate in the Bewsey and Whitecross by-election.

He won that by-election in July of this year and is now the elected councillor.

Reform UK councillor, John Roddy (Photo: LDRS).

The name of the other complainant is not known as names on the documents, which have been published on Cheshire East Council's website, have been redacted.

The first complaint, which was submitted on July 31, alleges Mr Price breached the code of conduct of his office by endorsing the Labour Party candidate for the Bewsey and Whitecross ward for Warrington Borough Council.

The complainant said: "Mr Price is welcome to make this endorsement as a Labour Party member, however is not meant to do this as the PCC (police and crime commissioner).

"This is where he has breached the code of conduct of his office."

Complaints two and three came from the Reform UK candidate.

He said: "Following the release of a video featuring the Labour candidate and the PCC, I contacted the PCC's office on July 24 to request a meeting and equal airtime.

"I left a detailed message via their answering service… but I received no acknowledgement or callback."

On August 17, Cllr Roddy made another complaint, this time on behalf of Reform UK, about comments he said were made by Mr Price in the media.

The meeting of the Cheshire Police and Crime Panel complaints management sub-committee takes place at 6.30pm on Thursday 30 October at Delamere House in Crewe (Photo: Ryan Parker).

Cllr Roddy said: "In view of the ongoing investigation, I would have expected him to refrain from making such critical and defamatory remarks directed at Reform UK, both nationally and locally."

The chief executive of the office of the police and crime commissioner replied to the complaints in writing to the panel, on behalf of Mr Price, saying: "I feel it is helpful to remind both complainants that police and crime commissioners are elected officials who are all affiliated with political parties.

"Whilst the commissioner commits to act with impartiality in his duties relating to policing, there is nothing to stop the commissioner undertaking political activity, including campaigning, in their personal time…

"We can find no evidence that the commissioner's code of conduct has been breached, as any support given for a candidate in a local election was done so in the commissioner's own time and no OPCC office resources were used to support the campaigning."

With regard to other candidates contacting the office and not receiving a response, the chief executive said: "I can find no trace of any enquiries which have gone unanswered."

Regarding the third complaint, the chief exec said: "To be clear, the commissioner will continue to make political comments in a personal capacity as an elected Labour politician."

The response adds: "The claim that the commissioner breached his oath of office by 'ridiculing and alienating Reform UK supporters' is baseless."

The meeting of the Cheshire Police and Crime Panel complaints management sub-committee takes place at 6.30pm on Thursday 30 October at Delamere House in Crewe.