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
- By virtue of their membership of Council bodies, some County Councillors may be able to exert more influence over certain kinds of Council business than others but they can only do so through a decision made by the committee or committees that they belong to. By law, the Leader is entitled to delegate functions to its Members. The Leader has determined that Cabinet Members (but not other Members) have power to make decisions that would bind the Authority to a particular course of action. It follows that in law, Members without decision making powers acting in their individual capacity as County Councillors are equals, each having the same rights and responsibilities.
Page updated:
12/10/2020