Principle A: Behaving with integrity, demonstrating strong commitment to ethical values, and respecting the rule of law
1. Behaving with integrity
The Council has a Code of Conduct for Elected Members. The aim of the Code of Conduct is to create and maintain public confidence in the role of Elected Members, Co-opted Members and local government. It sets out general principles of behaviour expected of all Elected Members and Co-opted Members. It provides a guide to modelling the behaviour that is expected and covers standards including respect; bullying, harassment and discrimination; confidentiality and use of position as well as arrangements for declaring interests. Elected Members receive training on the Code of Conduct.
There is a Code of Conduct in place for Employees which forms part of their terms and conditions of employment and is based on the Seven Principles of Public Life.
Our ‘One Coventry Values’ have been co-created with the support and input of all employees across the Council so they are reflective of how we want to be represented both as colleagues and to the wider community. The One Coventry Values are “Open and Fair”, “Nurture and Develop”, “Engage and Empower”, “Create and Innovate”, “Own and Be Accountable” and “Value and Respect”.
A Supplier Code of Conduct has been approved and communicated to suppliers and work continues to embed the Code to ensure providers of goods and services act with integrity with respect for individuals and the environment.
2. Demonstrating strong commitment to ethical values
The Council has an Ethics Committee who promote and maintain high standards of conduct by Members and co-opted members. The Ethics Committee monitor the operation of the Code of Conduct for Elected and Co-opted Members, consider complaints made against Elected and Co-opted Members, and monitor the operation of the Code of Conduct for employees.
There is a register of Interests for Members which can be viewed on the website. Officers are expected to declare financial and non-financial interests to their line manager and the Council undertakes an annual declarations of interest exercise in relation to all officers Grade 9 and above.
Gifts and hospitality are declared. The Ethics Committee review Members’ and Officers’ declarations of gifts and hospitality every 6 months. These are published as part of the Ethics Committee papers.
A Member Officer Protocol offers guidance on some of the issues which are commonly experienced between Members and Officers when working together. Officers and Members both serve the public, but they have different roles. Officers are employees of the Council and are politically neutral. Their role is to advise Members and implement the policies of the Council to the best of their abilities. Members are office holders and will often belong to a political party. They are obliged to exercise their own judgement in respect of matters before them but may also legitimately pursue party political objectives. Employees are answerable to the Chief Executive, not to individual Members (whatever office they hold), but there should be good communication between senior officers and Members with special responsibility for their area of work.
3. Respecting the Rule of Law
The Council’s Constitution sets out how the Council operates, how decisions are made and the procedures which are followed to ensure that these are efficient, transparent and accountable to local people. The Council has three statutory posts who are responsible for ensuring the rule of law, as set out in the Constitution is applied – The Chief Executive, Section 151 Officer and the Monitoring Officer. There is a Monitoring Officer Protocol in place.
The Council has a Whistleblowing Policy. This enables employees to report concerns about wrongdoing which are in the public interest. This policy is important as it protects the individual who raised the concerns from suffering any detriment. There is also information on the staff intranet which advises employees how they can raise concerns about work (including Whistleblowing), entitled “I have a concern”.
A Group Governance Agreement is in place which sets out the legal framework for the operation and management of Coventry Municipal Holdings Ltd and its subsidiaries. Coventry Municipal Holdings Ltd and the Council’s Joint Venture companies are accountable to the Coventry Shareholder Committee which represents the interests of the Council as shareholder.