20 August 2004
Local authority employees will be bound by a statutory code of conduct under plans published on August 19.
They will have to declare outside interests in a register similar to those for councillors, in addition to any hospitality or gifts received in the course of their duties. Potential conflicts of interests will have to be similarly declared.
Workers will also be expected to give an explicit commitment to behave professionally to others and not to engage in discrimination.
Other provisions in the document, launched by junior local government minister Phil Hope, include an obligation to maintain sound stewardship of council resources.
Whistleblowers will be protected from victimisation under the code, and all staff will be expected to uphold freedom of information laws. They will also have to pledge not to breach the trust placed in them by the public.
The planned code closely mirrors the existing one for councillors. Hope said it was necessary to ensure 'high standards of probity, accountability and objectivity.'
He added: 'We want to ensure that local authority staff are in no doubt about the standards of conduct required of them.'
The government is also reviewing the political restrictions on local authority posts. It is considering raising the current £32,127 qualifying salary threshold, and allowing council employees to participate in national politics with prior approval.
Ministers are also considering transferring the function of the independent adjudicator, who is appointed by the secretary of state, to the Standards Board for England.
The board regulates the conduct of councillors but has no authority over employees. News of its potential new responsibilities comes as the board pushes for more emphasis on ethical behaviour within the regulatory framework for local authorities.
It is in discussions with the Audit Commission about incorporating 'ethical health' into the Comprehensive Performance Assessment. It wants it to be part of each council's self-assessment and to form a key line of enquiry in the corporate assessment conducted by inspectors.
Paul Hoey, head of policy at the Standards Board, told Public Finance: 'We are convinced that there is a link between poor delivery of services and poor standards of conduct. We want the commission's inspectors to take the ethical temperature of authorities.'
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