The Council is required to promote and maintain high standards of conduct by all its elected Members. As a result, Councillors are required to adhere to the Council’s adopted Code of Conduct for elected Members, based on the Committee on Standards in Public Life’s seven ‘Nolan Principles’.
Summary:
The Code of Conduct applies to all Members of the Council who must comply with it whenever they conduct the business of TWBC or act/claim to act as a representative of TWBC. As a Member you must behave according to the highest standards of personal conduct in everything you do in your capacity as a Member. In particular, you must observe the following principles of conduct, some of which are set out in law-
- Selflessness: Members should act only in the public interest and should never improperly confer an advantage or disadvantage on any person.
- 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.
- Objectivity: Members should make decisions impartially and on merit, including when making appointments, awarding contracts, or recommending individuals for rewards or benefits.
- Accountability: Members should be accountable to the public for their actions and the manner in which they carry out their responsibilities and should cooperate fully and honestly with any scrutiny appropriate to their particular office.
- Openness: Holders of public office should be as open as possible about all the decisions and actions that they take. They should give reasons for their decisions and restrict information only when there are clear and lawful reasons for doing so.
- 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.
- 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.
The Code applies to all forms of Member communication and interaction and applies in conversation, in writing, or in use of electronic media, including the use of Facebook, blogs and Twitter, for example.
If you refer to your role as Councillor in any way, or any comments you make are clearly related to your official role, then the Code will apply to those comments. However, even if you do not refer to your role as Councillor, your public comments may be considered to be a breach of the Code of Conduct.
