Agenda item

Officers Code of Conduct

As part of the rolling review of the Constitution, the Standards Committee has recommended updates to the Officers Code of Conduct.

Decision:

The Committee approves the proposed changes to the explanatory guidance in the Officers’ Code of Conduct

Minutes:

            This report was introduced by the Chief Officer (Governance) who clarified the document was reviewed by the Standards Committee for the same reasons as the Planning Code of Practice.    The main review concerned how declarations of interests were made and the need to provide a consistent set of forms and guidance for officers.    The review looked at practical ways of dealing with conflicts.   This document had been to the Standards Committee and to the unions who were supportive of the new form and guidance.

 

            Councillor Bithell said this was useful report and then provided a scenario of a planning officer who worked privately outside the council drawing plans etc. for a planning application and asked how would a conflict be identified?   He then referred to the Members’ Declarations of Interests and suggested Members were reminded to check their forms and update them if necessary.  He also referred to the £10 gift which Members were encouraged to donate to the Chair’s charity and asked if these donations were recorded.

 

            Councillor Heesom agreed this was a useful report and referred to a question which used to be on the form which asked if a member was part of an association or lodge and asked if there was a similar declaration for Officers of the Council.

 

            In response the Chief Officer referred to Councillor Bithell’s question saying it would be inappropriate for a planning officer to draw up plans which would be submitted to the Council for approval especially if that officer was involved in the approval process then that would clearly be a conflict.  If an architect, working for the Council, drew up plans then he could not see a conflict. Similarly licensing officers or solicitors could be brought into direct conflict.   As regards re-circulating Members’ Declarations of Interest he agreed a reminder could be sent to all Members

 

            The Chief Officer then referred to gifts received by employees and that these including nominal value gifts were recorded as refused or received and donated to Chair’s charity providing an audit trail.    As regards membership of outside organisations senior Officers or politically restricted posts were requested to register their interests butthis was a voluntary register, not mandatory, because of the rights of privacy under the Human Rights Act.  There was a mandatory requirement however to declare an interest if a conflict could be proven to exist.  There was legislation for officers to do so which was different to that Members follow.

 

            Councillor Glyn Banks asked if this had been presented to the Standards Committee.   The Chief Officer confirmed it had in January which they approved provided it was supported by the unions.  The changes had been supported by the Unions in March to enable the report to come to this Committee

 

            The Democratic Services Manager referred Members to the website where there was an electronic version of the Councillor’s declaration form which Members could view and request an update.  It was agreed a reminder should be sent with a required response “yes I need to update the form” or “no the form is fine”

 

RESOLVED:

 

The Committee approves the proposed changes to the explanatory guidance in the Officers’ Code of Conduct

Supporting documents: