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Issue - meetings

Employee Code of Conduct

 

 

Meeting: 19/03/2024 - Audit and Governance Committee (Item 50)

50 Employee Code of Conduct pdf icon PDF 67 KB

Purpose:

To present a recommendation of the Constitution Working Group relating to the adoption of the Employee Code of Conduct and the Corporate and Individual Gifts, Hospitality and Sponsorship Process for the West Oxfordshire District Council workforce.

 

Recommendation:

That the Committee Resolves to:

  1. Approve the adoption of the Employee Code of Conduct (Annex A) as part of the Constitution (Part 6N);
  2. Approve the Corporate and Individual Gifts, Hospitality and Sponsorship Process (Annex B) as part of the Council’s Constitution (Part 6O).

 

Invited:

Andrea McCaskie – Director of Governance

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Director of Governance presented the report that outlined a recommendation of the Constitution Working Group relating to the adoption of the Employee Code of Conduct and the Corporate and Individual Gifts, Hospitality and Sponsorship Process for the West Oxfordshire District Council workforce.

The report explained that as part of the review of the Council’s Constitution, it had been identified that there was a requirement to adopt an Employee Code of Conduct which was up to date with current legislation, policy, and guidance. At its meeting on 9 January 2024, the Constitution Working Group agreed to recommend that the Council adopt the Employee Code of Conduct and the Corporate and Individual Gifts, Hospitality and Sponsorship Process as part of the Council’s Constitution.

Publica had recently rewritten its Business Code of Conduct which had been consulted on by all relevant officers including the Monitoring Officer, Head of Legal Services, Head of the Counter-Fraud and Enforcement Unit, Communications, IT and HR and adopted a Corporate & Individual Gifts, Hospitality and Sponsorship Process. The Business Code of Conduct had also been approved by all recognised Trade Unions across the partner Councils and Publica. Therefore, it was recommended that the Publica Code of Conduct and Corporate and Individual Gifts, Hospitality and Sponsorship Process were used as a basis for the West Oxfordshire District Council Employee Code of Conduct and Corporate and Individual Gifts, Hospitality and Sponsorship Process and the other partner Councils. Decisions relating to the Officer Employee Code were part of the delegation to the Audit and Governance Committee, and therefore the Committee had responsibility for approval of the Code and Gifts & Hospitality Process.

Annex A contained the Employee Code of Conduct and the Corporate and Individual Gifts, Hospitality and Sponsorship Process for the West Oxfordshire District Council workforce was in Annex B. To ensure it covered what was required, other Council Code of Conducts had also been reviewed and all retained staff of the Council had been individually consulted on both documents.

Members commented that this was good practice for both Council staff and Councillors. It was confirmed that it was not only for paid work but for voluntary work because it needed to be all encompassing and any conflict of interests identified. 

RESOLVED that the Audit and Governance Committee AGREED to:

  1. Adopt the Employee Code of Conduct and the Corporate and Individual Gifts, Hospitality and Sponsorship Process.

 

 

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