SHOULD individual councillors and council employees avoid “close personal familiarity”?
According to the officers’ code of conduct at Warrington Borough Council they should – because it can damage relationships and prove embarrassing to other employees and councillors.
But the council’s Governance Committee has taken issue
with the guidance, approved earlier this year by the council’s Joint Consultative Committee, consisting of elected members, council officers and trade union representatives.
They want the wording changed to read:
“Mutual respect between employees and councillors is essential to good local government. Employees in their dealings with councillors are expected to act politely, efficiently and effectively.”
But the JCC point out that the wording is already in the code of conduct and incorporated in the council’s constitution.
The joint Trade Unions believes the original wording should stand.
It reads: “Close personal familiarity between employees and individual councillors can damage the relationship and prove embarrassing to other employees and councillors and should, therefore, be avoided.”
The matter has been referred back to the Governance Committee for further consideration.
A further amendment on dress code has also been referred back to the committee by the JCC.
Currently it reads: “Inappropriate dress can create the view that the council is inefficient, not professional.”
The Governance Committee had suggested the word “inefficient” be removed.
