Queensland councils will soon have an independent watchdog arbitrate complaints against councillors, rather than CEOs.

Under new legislation, the Palaszczuk government has moved to create an independent assessor to consider complaints and prosecute frivolous, vexatious or out-of-time grievances.

It is the latest fallout from the release of the state’s Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) damning Operation Belcarra report into systemic integrity problems in local government.

Local Government Minister Mark Furner says the independent assessor for complaints against councillors would boost public confidence in the complaints system.

“The Palaszczuk government proposes to give the independent assessor significant powers to assess and prosecute complaints,” Mr Furner said.

“Importantly, under the model identified, the independent assessor will also be able to dismiss or prosecute frivolous, vexatious or out-of-time complaints. It would also be an offence for an accused councillor to attempt or take a reprisal against an employee or another councillor who makes a complaint of misconduct.”

Mr Furner said the new system would reduce red tape, and include a mandatory code of conduct for elected councillors.

“I want councillors who bring down the standard of those hardworking elected representatives around the state, to be held accountable for their actions,” he said.

Currently, council CEOs do the first assessment of councillor complaints.

“Making such decisions can give rise to a clear conflict of interest for CEOs in assessing a complaint against one of their own councillors — one of their employers,” an independent review found earlier this year.

Corrupt conduct will still be referred to the CCC.