Part 5 - Code of Conduct for Employees
This Code of Conduct includes confidential reporting procedure (whistle-blowing) for employees other than for staff in educational establishments (for whom a separate code exists).
Return to the Constitution contents.
- Code of conduct
- Introduction
- Standards
- Personal appearance
- Use of the council's facilities and equipment
- Culture of the organisation
- Your interests
- Rules governing purchasing by employees
- Separation of roles during tendering
- Reporting a concern
- Investigation
- Gifts, prizes hospitality and sponsorship
- Register of gifts and hospitality
- Disclosure and use of information
- Political neutrality
- Relationships
- Appointments and other employment matters
- Undertaking additional work outside the council
- Arrest or conviction on civil or criminal charges
- Membership of clubs, socities and other organisations which are not open to the public and / or have secrecy about rules, membership etc.
- Conflict of interest
- Equality issues
- Health and safety issues
- Breaches of code of conduct
- Confidential reporting procedure for employees (whistle-blowing)
- It is contrary to the Council’s HR policies for an employee to make an appointment/engagement which is based on anything other than the ability of the individual to undertake the duties of the post. Employees must not be involved in an appointment/engagement where they are related to an applicant, or have any personal or business relationship outside work with them.
- Employees must not be involved in decisions relating to discipline, promotion or pay adjustments for any other employee who is a relative, partner or close personal friend.
- Employees of the Council shall inform their Director or, in the case of Directors the Chief Executive, of any relationship known to them to exist between themselves and a candidate for an appointment/engagement in which they are directly involved. If a candidate deliberately omits to disclose a relationship they will be disqualified. If the omission is discovered after appointment or engagement they shall be liable to dismissal.
- Employees involved in appointments/engagements must, where practicable, ensure that references are obtained from the current and previous employer of the candidate to whom they wish to formally offer a post. Ideally both referees should be senior persons, one from the candidate’s present employer and the other from their previous employer.
- In the case of applicants leaving full-time education or not having worked since doing so, the Head of School, College, University etc. should be named as one of the referees.
Page updated:
09/10/2020