Most of the content on this intranet is made up of ex county council information due to the county intranet being turned off. Please read the blog to find out more about how we have developed this new intranet and where you can go to find information that relates to you.
Officer Code of Conduct - Introduction
1.1 The public are entitled to expect the highest standards of conduct from all officers who work within local government. This Code of Conduct outlines existing laws, regulations and conditions of service, and provides officers with guidance to assist them in their day-to-day work.
1.2 The purpose of the Code is to help ensure that the Council’s activities, through the actions of its officers, are conducted to the highest standards, as expected of Local Government, by:
1.2.1 detailing existing laws, regulations and conditions of service;
1.2.2 providing further guidance to assist officers in their day-to-day work; and
1.2.3 specifying standards and procedures which will help protect both the Council and its officers from misunderstanding and undue criticism.
1.3 The Council’s values support this code, by providing further guidance in relation to how officers need to conduct themselves in the workplace. Further information on these values is in a number of policies, procedures, guidelines and service standards which the Council has developed, to be read in conjunction with this Code.
1.4 The adopted Code applies as part of the conditions of service of all officers working under a contract of employment with the Council. It also applies to staff in schools where the Code has been adopted by the Governing Body as the employer. All officers are expected to read, understand and accept the Code, and abide by the standards of behaviour expressed within it. The standards specified in the Code should also be adhered to by officers in any activities undertaken as members of companies, voluntary organisations or any other body and in their personal lives generally.
1.5 The Code does not replace, negate or remove any of the conduct issues set out in the various national terms and conditions, or in legislation such as the Local
Government and Housing Act 1989 and the Local Government Act 1972 and Local Government Act 2000, but seeks to clarify and consolidate all such conduct issues within a locally adopted code.
1.6 This Code sets out the minimum standards that apply to officers. It may be supplemented and clarified by Directorate or other corporate guidance as appropriate.
1.7 The following core principles underpin the concept of public service and apply to all officers of the Council regardless of the nature of the job they do:
1.7.1 Selflessness: Holders of public office should take decisions solely in the terms of the public interest.
1.7.2 Integrity: Holders of public office should not place themselves under any obligation to people or organisations that might try inappropriately to influence them in their work. They should not act or take decisions in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or their friends. They must declare and resolve any interests and relationships.
1.7.3 Objectivity: Holders of public office must act and take decisions impartially, fairly and on merit, using the best evidence and without discrimination or bias.
1.7.4 Accountability: Holders of public office are accountable to the public for their decisions and actions and must submit themselves to the scrutiny necessary to ensure this.
1.7.5 Openness: Holders of public office should act and take decisions in an open and transparent manner. Information should not be withheld from the public unless there are clear and lawful reasons for so doing.
1.7.6 Honesty: Holders of public office should be truthful.
1.7.7 Leadership: Holders of public office should exhibit these principles in their own behaviour. They should actively promote and robustly support the principles and be willing to challenge poor behaviour wherever it occurs.
1.6.8 Duty: You must uphold the law and act in accordance with the council’s constitution and the public trust placed in you. You have a duty to act in the interests of the council as a whole and all communities served by the council.
1.6.9 Respect: You must respect all other officers, members, partners and the public. You must not act in a disrespectful way towards any individual because of a protected characteristic or for any other reason.
1.8 Officers are expected to follow the standards of behaviour set out in the Code, and should be aware that failure to meet these standards may lead to action being taken by the Council under its Disciplinary and / or Capability Procedure. This Code supplements, and does not replace any code or recognised standards of conduct endorsed by any professional body of which an officer is a member. If officers have any queries or are uncertain about its content, they should contact their line manager for advice.