Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council
General Principles of Conduct
Guide for Members
Foreword
There is no doubting the importance of public confidence in local democracy. High standards of conduct and probity are essential to fostering public trust in local authorities, their employees and members, and are the foundations of good governance.
As a high achieving Council it is vital that we aspire to these high standards in all that we do.
This guide for Members has been developed in order to clarify and communicate what those standards are considered to be and to outline the conduct and behaviours that will best help them to be achieved.
Chief Executive / Chair of the Standards Committee / Leader of the CouncilLeader of the
Labour Group / Leader of the
Liberal Democrat Group / Leader of the
Billingham Independent Association
Leader of the
Ingleby Barwick Independent Society / Leader of the
Thornaby Independent Association
The Code of Conduct
The Council has adopted the Statutory Members’ Code of Conduct in its model form, without amendment (http://sbcinternet/resources/council/stanprob/membcodeconduct/910386.doc). The Code sets out the standards that are expected of local authority members, and includes requirements to treat people with respect, to avoid bringing the Council or the office of member into disrepute, and to declare any personal interests (financial or otherwise).
The General Principles of Public Life
There are many commentaries on the importance of high standards of conduct in public life. Three are instanced here:-
Department of Communities and Local Government - Trust in local authority members is one of the cornerstones of local democracy. Members should inspire trust and confidence from those who elected them, set an example of leadership for their communities, and should be expected to act lawfully, even when they are not acting in their role as members.*
Standards for England - Confidence in local democracy is a cornerstone of our way of life. It can only be achieved when elected and co-opted members of local authorities are seen to live up to the high standards the public has a right to expect from them.
Audit Commission - At the heart of good local democracy is a bond of trust between communities and the people who represent them. High standards of conduct contribute to building an ethical organisation which can establish that bond of trust.
The ten general principles of conduct define the standards that members should uphold, and serve as a reminder of the purposes of the Code of Conduct. **
The principles are set out and clarified in this document as a guide for members when acting in their official capacity, including whenever they conduct the business of the authority, or act, claim to act, or give the impression they are acting, in their official capacity or as a representative of the authority.
* Communities in Control: Real People, real power. Code of Conduct for local authority members and employees. A consultation
http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/localgovernment/pdf/981962.pdf
** Set out in the Relevant Authorities (General Principles) Order 2001 (http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2001/20011401.htm)
SelflessnessMembers should serve only the public interest and should never improperly confer an advantage or disadvantage on any person.
As a Member of Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council you should:- / As a Member of Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council you should not:-
· Share your knowledge and experience to help others learn and improve the way things are done
· Be prepared to take tough or unpopular decisions when necessary
· Serve only the public interest
· Never improperly confer an advantage or disadvantage on any person / · Allow personal interest or opinions to interfere improperly with your Council work
· Promote your own agenda to the detriment of the public’s interests
· Prevent others from accessing information to which they are entitled
Honesty and Integrity
Members should not place themselves in situations where their honesty and integrity may be questioned, should not behave improperly and should on all occasions avoid the appearance of such behaviour.
As a Member of Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council you should:- / As a Member of Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council you should not:-
· Preserve public trust and confidence by your actions at all times
· Clearly identify and raise, in an appropriate way, ethical concerns relevant to the organisation
· Show integrity and fairness in your decision making
· Avoid placing yourself in situations where your honesty or integrity may be questioned
· Avoid favouritism in your dealings with employees and the public
· Seek appropriate advice from officers on conduct issues, such as potential declarations of interests / · Breach confidentiality
· Engage in dishonest behaviour
· Ignore inappropriate behaviour on the part of others
· Fail to act positively in response to concerns about poor ethical standards
· Fail to play your part in the collective responsibility for maintaining and encouraging high ethical standards
Objectivity
Members should make decisions on merit, including when making appointments, awarding contracts, or recommending individuals for rewards or benefits.
As a Member of Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council you should:- / As a Member of Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council you should not:-
· Keep up to date with what is happening
· Avoid being judgemental
· Actively listen to others and consider their views
· Take different views and opinions into account when making decisions
· Make decisions on merit / · Become confrontational in response to reasonable challenge or criticism
· Be improperly influenced by your own previous experiences
· Be improperly influenced by your own political group when considering quasi judicial or scrutiny matters
· Take decisions for reasons based on anything other than the merits of the case (e.g. being unduly influenced by personalities involved)
Accountability
Members should be accountable to the public for their actions and the manner in which they carry out their responsibilities, and should co-operate fully and honestly with any scrutiny appropriate to their particular office.
As a Member of Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council you should:- / As a Member of Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council you should not:-
· Admit mistakes and learn from experience
· Welcome constructive feedback
· Co-operate with scrutiny processes
· Explain the reasons for decisions
· Follows requests and queries though in a timely manner
· Understand the impact of your contribution / · Make unrealistic promises and then fail to deliver them
· Fail to respond promptly to communications from concerned individuals or groups
Openness
Members should be as open as possible about their actions and those of their authority, and should be prepared to give reasons for those actions.
As a Member of Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council you should:- / As a Member of Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council you should not:-
· Share relevant, appropriate information
· Be approachable
· Explain the reasons for decisions
· Listen to others’ views and ideas
· Seek to use appropriate formats to meet others needs (e.g. language, plain English, written, oral, pictorial) / · Ignore or exclude others
· Fail to consider issues or problems objectively
· Fail to listen to different views and ideas
· Use jargon words without explaining what they mean
Personal Judgement
Members may take account of the views of others, including their political groups, but should reach their own conclusions on the issues before them and act in accordance with those conclusions.
As a Member of Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council you should:- / As a Member of Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council you should not:-
· Listen to other peoples’ views and ideas but reach your own conclusions
· Be clear about your role
· Demonstrate a positive approach to change , where such change is reasonable and appropriate / · Pre-judge an issue before hearing all the facts and evidence
· Be improperly influenced by your own political group
Respect for Others
Members should promote equality by not discriminating unlawfully against any person, and by treating people with respect, regardless of their race, age, religion, gender, sexual orientation or disability. They should respect the impartiality and integrity of the authority’s statutory officers and its other employees.
As a Member of Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council you should:- / As a Member of Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council you should not:-
· Respect the impartiality and integrity of the Authority’s Statutory Officers and other employees
· Challenge inappropriate behaviour and attitudes in an appropriate way
· Understand and actively promote the Council’s Diversity Policy
· Make other people feel valued and included
· Demonstrate awareness of racial, cultural and religious sensitivities and treat others with respect
· Value and respect the contribution of others
· Use positive, inclusive language
· Remain calm when criticised or challenged / · Use offensive language or gestures
· Communicate in a flippant, threatening or dismissive way
· Intimidate or ridicule people by your manner
· Ignore people or show a lack of interest
· Speak rudely or aggressively
· Use a bullying approach
· Undervalue, ignore or undermine people
· Have unrealistic expectations of employees or other people
· Show a lack of respect to other Members/Officers during meetings by interrupting them or holding private conversations
Duty to Uphold the Law
Members should uphold the law and, on all occasions, act in accordance with the trust that the public is entitled to place in them.
As a Member of Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council you should:- / As a Member of Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council you should not:-
· Raise any concerns/issues which you may have with the Council’s Officers
· Comply with the law / · Disclose confidential information in an inappropriate way
· Fail to declare personal interests where required to do so under the code of conduct
· Seek improperly to influence a decision in which you have a prejudicial interest.
· Ignore legislation and related guidance
Stewardship
Members should do whatever they are able to do to ensure that their authorities use their resources prudently and in accordance with the law.
As a Member of Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council you should:- / As a Member of Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council you should not:-
· Ensure that resources are used prudently and in accordance with the law
· Support appropriate opportunities to optimise the use of resources / · Not use or authorise the use of the authority’s resources contrary to the authority’s reasonable requirements
· Not use the authority’s resources improperly for political purposes
· Advocate short term financial gains over long term planning
Leadership
Members should promote and support these principles by leadership, and by example, and should act in a way that secures or preserves public confidence.
As a Member of Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council you should:- / As a Member of Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council you should not:-
· Behave in a way which positively promotes the principles and the Code of Conduct
· Set high personal standards and lead by example
· Work to inspire trust in others
· Take responsibility for your own personal development
· Set objectives and create cultures which are ethical
· Identify the interests of stakeholders and their implications for the organisation and individuals
· Establish and maintain good relationships within the Council and with other partners and stakeholders / · Believe that standards of conduct are the responsibility of others and not yourself
· Assume that high standards will be maintained without your own and everyone else’s efforts
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Director/Standards/
General Principles of Conduct -
Guide for Members (5 March 2010)