Key relationships
The public
Employees should always remember their responsibilities to the community they serve and ensure courteous, efficient and impartial service delivery to all groups or individuals within that community as defined by the policies and procedures of the Council. The Council is committed to promoting equality of opportunity and to eliminate discrimination within its employment practices and service delivery and therefore employees must follow the Council’s ‘Equality and Diversity Statement’ policy and other policies covering these matters.
Councillors
Mutual respect between employees and Councillors is essential to good local governance. Inappropriate relationships between employees and individual Councillors can damage the reputation of the Council as well as individuals and should be avoided. Officers are reminded of the guidance contained within section 3 of this document ‘Political Neutrality’ and the Officer/Member Protocol within the Council’s Constitution. #
Contractors
Employees must be fair and impartial in any dealings with contractors, sub- contractors and suppliers. If employees are involved in a tendering process they must comply with the Council’s ‘Contract Procedure Rules’ and the guidance within the Council’s ‘Officers Guide to Procurement’. All relationships of a business or private nature with external contractors, sub-contractors and suppliers should be made known to the appropriate Chief Officer and Form 1 – ‘Declaration of Relationship with External Contractor or Supplier’ should be completed and submitted. Orders and contracts must be awarded on merit, through fair competition using the appropriate policies and procedures. If you have access to confidential information on tenders or costs for either internal or external contractors, you must not disclose that information to any unauthorised individual or organisation in accordance with statutory regulations and local procurement protocols.
Other council employees
Employees may have dealings with the Council on a personal level, for instance as a Council Tax payer, or as an applicant for a grant of a permission, licence, or consent. Employees should never seek or accept preferential treatment in those dealings because of their position. Employees must also avoid placing themselves in a position or avoid actions that could lead the public to think that they are receiving preferential treatment. Similarly, employees should never use their position to seek preferential treatment for friends or relatives or firm or body for which they are personally connected.
Employees should also avoid any actions which may give the impression that they have used their position with the Council to secure preferential treatment.