Officer Code of Conduct - Relationships at work

5.1 Officers must declare to their manager any situation where their impartiality, objectivity, or honesty may be compromised due to them being related to, or having a close personal relationship with someone at work. 

Councillors 

5.2 Mutual respect between officers and Councillors is essential. Some officers work closely with Councillors, and all communication should be dealt with in a polite, impartial and efficient manner. Officers are expected to inform elected members on relevant issues in a timely manner. Close personal familiarity between officers and individual Councillors must be avoided at all times to prevent damage to the relationship and embarrassment to individuals and the council. 

The Local Community and Service Users 

5.3 Officers should always remember their responsibilities to the community and ensure a polite, impartial and efficient service delivery to all groups and individuals within that community. 

Contractors, suppliers, procurement and tendering 

5.4 All relationships of a business or personal nature with external contractors or suppliers must be declared to the employee’s line manager at the earliest opportunity. Arrangements for any appropriate steps to be taken to manage any conflict of interest will then be made. 

5.5 Orders and contracts must be awarded in accordance with the council’s procedures and no special favour must be shown to businesses or individuals.

5.6 Officers whose work involves the procurement, appointment or supervision of contractors must disclose any former or current private or official relationships with contractors to their Line manager. 

5.7 Officers must not make official professional decisions about matters in which they have a personal involvement. Officers must not misuse their official position or information acquired in the course of their employment to further their private interests, or the interests of others. 

5.8 When a conflict of interest is disclosed, the council reserves the right to remove the employee from any areas of direct or indirect involvement in the matter concerned.