Gifts and hospitality - Code of Conduct - Hospitality

Hospitality includes thing such as drinks, meals, entertainment, overnight accommodation, travel and holidays. Whilst some forms of hospitality can be seen as normal parts of commercial life which will assist the Council in furthering its objectives, it is important that acceptance of hospitality does not, and cannot be seen to, influence staff or the Council’s decision making or behaviour. 

As a result, when receiving an offer of hospitality staff should ask themselves: 

Can it be clearly and positively seen to be in the interests of the Council to accept this particular hospitality?

If staff are not certain that they can answer this question in the affirmative then hospitality should not be accepted.

Organisations involved in active tender process

Hospitality from organisations involved in an active tender process, dispute or negotiation must never be accepted. A tender process is considered ‘active’ from the point at which the tender documents start to be developed, until the contract is awarded. Staff should be aware that larger organisations may be tendering for work in other parts of the council. If staff are unsure whether there is an active tender process underway then they should contact Corporate Procurement and Contract Management.

Reporting

All hospitality with an estimated value of more than £20, whether or not it is accepted, must be reported via the Council’s online reporting tool.

Examples 

The following are examples of hospitality that could be accepted and, if the estimated value exceeds £20, must be reported:

• light refreshments for delegates at a conference or training event
• A working lunch with external organisations. A useful test for these would often be whether the council would provide refreshments if the venue was reversed
• attendance at official events where the council’s presence would be expected, such as opening ceremonies, jubilee or other celebrations

The following are examples of hospitality that must be reported and politely refused:

• provision of a holiday or weekend hospitality
• theatre or other sporting or entertainment event tickets
• any hospitality involving staff’s families
• lunch with an organisation to discuss an ongoing tender

Staff who are unsure whether a gift or hospitality can be accepted should speak to their managers in the first instance or to the Monitoring Officer.