Part 5 - Appendix 2 - Protocol on the relationship between Officers and Members of Gloucestershire County Council
Appendix 2 - protocol on the relationship between Officers and Members of Gloucestershire County Council of the Code of Conduct for Employees.
- Introduction
- The role of elected Members - The role of County Councillors as Members of full Council and Council bodies
- The standing of County Councillors as individual Members of the Council
- Other roles of County Councillors
- The role of Officers - The role of Officers in the course of their employment
- Contact between Officers and Members other than in the course of Officers’ employment
- Sources of difficulty
- Political neutrality - Supporting the work of the Council
- Lobbying Members
- Giving advice and providing information
- Confidentiality
- Dealing with the Press
- Member pressure on Officers
- Blurring of Officers and Members public and private roles
- The role of Group Leaders and senior Officers
- Conclusion
- In recognising that individual Members and opposition groups have a legitimate right to scrutinise the work of the Authority, Officers should, however, provide factual advice to Members who wish to oppose particular policies or decisions. They should also provide any documentary information that is sought for this purpose in accordance with the Council’s Access to Information Procedure Rules. Members should not, however, seek to elicit advice from an Officer about how to undermine the Council’s or the Cabinet’s policies or decisions and, in the event an Officer receives such a request, they should decline to give such assistance. An Officer should never provide unsolicited advice to a Member that is calculated to undermine any policy or decision of the Council or a Council body. This paragraph shall not apply to political assistants to the extent that they are expressly instructed by the political party in whose work they are engaged.
- In circumstances when an Officer is asked to provide advice or information to a Member and it is proper that it should be supplied, the Officer must ensure the advice that is given is full and accurate and that it is provided promptly. Officers should also avoid withholding advice or information that is plainly relevant to and embraced by any request for assistance. In other words, Officers should always be helpful in the way they deal with any enquiry by a Member provided that in giving such help they comply with paragraphs 8 to 11 of this guidance. Officers must never fail to advise any Member about a risk that their conduct might break the law, breach Council policy, or be contrary to the budget if ever they become aware of such a risk.
Page updated:
12/10/2020