Part 5 - Appendix 1 - Whistle-blowing procedure

All of us at one time or another have a concern about what is happening at work. 

Usually these are easily resolved. However, when the concern feels serious because it is about a possible fraud, danger, corruption or malpractice or maladministration (the term used when the council has done something wrong which affects a member of the public) that might affect others or the Council itself, it can be difficult to know what to do.

You may be worried about raising such a concern and may think it best to keep it to yourself, perhaps feeling it’s none of your business or that it’s only a suspicion. You may feel that raising the matter would be disloyal to colleagues, managers or to the Council. You may decide to say something but find that you have spoken to the wrong person or raised the issue in the wrong way and are not sure what to do next.

Elected Members and senior managers of Gloucestershire County Council are committed to running the organisation in the best way possible and to do so we need your help. We have updated this policy to reassure you that it is safe and acceptable to speak up and to enable you to raise any concern you may have about malpractice at an early stage and in the right way. Any reported concern will be taken seriously. Rather than wait for proof, we would prefer you to raise the matter when it is still a concern. 

This policy applies to all those who work for us and with us, including Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service, whether full-time or part-time, employed through an agency or as a volunteer. If you work in a school, each school will have its own whistleblowing policy and this can often be found within the ‘Code of Conduct and Confidential Reporting Procedure (Whistle-Blowing) for School Employees in Maintained Schools’. However if you do not have access to this policy and cannot raise it with the school governors, you can contact the Head of Education.

The Whistleblowing Policy is primarily for concerns where you witness something which affects other people – groups of colleagues, service users, members of the public or the organisation itself.

If, you wish to make a complaint about your own employment or how you personally have been treated, please use the grievance procedure or the Dignity and Respect at Work (Anti-Bullying) Policy - which you can get from the HR and Employment Handbook or your manager or the HR Adviser on Contact Us (01452 425888).

If you have a concern about financial misconduct or fraud, you can contact Internal Audit.

If you have a concern about a health and safety issue that has not been resolved using the steps explained in this policy, you can contact the Safety, Health and Environment (SHE) Team. Email the Safety, Health and Environment Team or telephone: 01452 425350.

If something is troubling you which you think we should know about or look into, if you are not sure which is the right route, or if you want to speak to someone in confidence, please read on.