Employee HandbookFenland District Council

®

We would like to wish you a very warm welcome to the Fenland District Council Team and we hope that you find your time with us both rewarding and enjoyable.

This handbook aims to provide you with an introduction to the Council. We hope information in this handbook will be useful to you throughout your employment with us.

This handbook is supported by the Council’s Induction process which you will find out more about during your first few weeks.

Your manager or a member of the Human Resources Team will be pleased to help you with any further information that you can’t find in this handbook.

Good luck in your new role with the Council and we very much look forward to working with you.

The HR & OD Team

CONTENTS Section - Introduction

Welcome from the Chief ExecutivePurpose of this Handbook

Section 2 - General Information

Welcome to FenlandAbout The FensWhere We AreAbout Local GovernmentFundingElected RepresentativesAbout Fenland District CouncilCommittee InformationFenland Strategic PartnershipOur Vision, Mission and ValuesOur CultureOur Corporate ObjectivesPolitical ArrangementsManagement Structure

Section 3 - Safety At Work

Health & WelfareMedical and Counselling Services

Section 4 - Non Contractual

CommunicationStaff ParkingCyclingCollection for CharityTrade UnionsICT ServicesICT Code of ConductOther OfficesPrint RoomRefreshmentsPension

Section 5 - Employment Information

Code of ConductTerms & Conditions of EmploymentAccess to Personnel FilesPayment of SalaryIncremental IncreasesHours of WorkOvertimeSecurityProbationTime Away from Work (sickness, absence, holidays)Flexible Working PolicyFlexitime and PASTravel and SubsistenceDisciplinary and GrievancesDisclosure of Public Interest (Whistle blowing)Retirement and Long Service

Section 6 - Human Resources

Human Resources TeamQueries and Changes to Personal InformationData ProtectionEquality and Diversity Policy SummaryHarassmentPeople Policies

Section 7 - How the Council helps in emergencies

How does Fenland District Council help in an emergencyPreparing for emergenciesCan you volunteer?

Section 8 - Learning and Development

OverviewTraining and Career DevelopmentSalary Progression and ReviewProfessional StandardsFunded Training PolicyStudy Leave Policy

Section 1 – Introduction

Welcome from the Chief ExecutiveAs a new member of staff, I would like to welcome you to Fenland District Council on behalf of the management team and all your colleagues. You are a member of a forward-looking, community focused authority and I hope you will find your work here both satisfying and rewarding. Our mission is to improve the quality of life for people living within the Fenland District area.

This Handbook is to be issued to all staff in the Council as a source of information on primarily matters relating to their employment. Other relevant information is included to allow you to find the answers to a variety of questions.I look forward to meeting you in the course of our work together here at Fenland.

Paul MeddChief Executive

Purpose of this handbookWelcome, and congratulations on your new appointment here at Fenland District Council. This Handbook has been developed by the Human Resources and Organisational Development (HR & OD) team to act as a guide to provide you with information to help in answering the most commonly occurring questions about your employment with us. It includes an overview of policies, procedures, and guidelines, but you should check with your Line Manager in case there are any particular local variations applicable to your area of work.

A copy of all current policies is also kept by the HR & OD Team and on the Council’s Intranet site. Members of staff who do not have Intranet access can request paper based copies from the team or line manager.

We welcome your input, and so if you can help to improve this document in any way, please let the HR & OD team know. This handbook will be updated on a regular basis and any resulting changes will be made available to you.

Sam Anthony Head of HR & OD

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Section 2 –General Information

Welcome to Fenland

About The FensIn the 17th century, Dutch engineer Cornelius Vermunden led an ambitious project to drain an area along the river Bedford. The land reclaimed became the Fens – and even today, at 9ft below sea level, the lowest point in the UK can still be found at Holme Fen near Whittlesey.

So when you think of the Fens don’t just imagine the idyllic, unhurried lifestyle. Remember there is a different side, a side characterised by vision, ambition, determination and pioneering achievement.

Where we areThe District of Fenland covers much of the northern part of Cambridgeshire and is one of five districts within the County. Fenland has an area of 550 km². It is mainly rural in character and contains four expanding market towns, Chatteris, March, Whittlesey and Wisbech, and numerous Fen villages spread amongst sixteen rural parishes.

We are well connected to large areas of the country with good road and rail links to London, the Midlands and beyond. The close proximity to international links at Stansted, Norwich, East Midlands and London Luton Airports and St Pancras International for the Eurostar makes international travel a breeze.

Fenland draws its name from the landscape of the Cambridgeshire Fens; flatlands criss-crossed by a maze of drain channels. The two nearest cities are Peterborough and Cambridge.

Living in Fenland offers a range of options. Much of the District is rural in character offering a range of opportunities or you could look at one of the four expanding market towns.

Each has unique attractions. Wisbech has a busy port and shopping centre with a range of restaurants, bars and some of the finest Georgian streetscapes in the country. March is the administrative heart of the District with a range of leisure and historical

offerings. Chatteris and Whittlesey are the gateways to the fens, with strong links to Cambridge and Peterborough respectively, allowing for easy access to the city whilst enjoying the very best of the local rural landscape.

About Local GovernmentLocal government provides many important services - education, housing, social services and many more which benefit the local community. Councils either provide services directly to the public or arrange for others to do so. Most of these services affect the lives of local people on a daily basis.

Leisure centres, collection of household rubbish, local schools, care of disadvantaged people, hygiene standards in local restaurants and shops, and the materials in your local library - all of these things are the Council’s responsibility, plus many more besides.There are eight different types of Council in the U.K. including County Councils, District Councils, London Borough Councils, Metropolitan Councils and English, Scottish and Welsh Unitary Councils. We are a District Council. This means that we share responsibilities for service provision with Cambridgeshire County Council.

Service provided Cambridgeshire County Council

Fenland District Council

Architecture, building and design

✔ ✔

Art galleries and museums

✔ ✔

Building control ✔Car parking - off street

✔

Car parking - off street

✔

Cemeteries ✔Economic development

✔ ✔

Education ✔Environmental health

✔

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Fire service ✔Highways ✔Libraries ✔Parks and open spaces

✔

Planning (local) ✔Planning (strategic)

✔

Police service ✔Roads and footpaths

✔

Social services ✔Tourism ✔Trading standards

✔

Traffic/transport coordination

✔ ✔

Waste collection ✔Waste disposal ✔ ✔

FundingLocal government in England and Wales is funded by grants from central government, business rates (charged to local companies) and Council tax (charged to local people). The rest comes from hire of sports facilities, CNC Building Control and planning fees.

As always staff in local government are required to have excellent financial management skills. The way Council money is spent must be closely accounted for as it is constantly held up to public scrutiny.

Elected RepresentativesElected representatives (local Councillors) from different political parties make up the full Council. Fenland District Council operates a Leader and Cabinet form of governance (decision making). Full Council elects The Leader of the Council, who is elected for the term of office (up to four years). The Leader chooses up to nine Councillors to form Cabinet. The Cabinet’s responsibilities are divided up into portfolios and each Cabinet Member is responsible for a portfolio of work. The Cabinet Members are also known as Portfolio Holders or Executive Members. The Council is divided down into individual groups called ‘committees’, and the ‘executive’. The full Council is the central decision-

maker and debates and decides upon policy based on reports from the committees. The executive is the only group allowed to make decisions, on certain areas of policy, without the approval of the full Council.

’Scrutiny committees’ are an important addition to the Council decision-making process. The Councillors on these committees are asked to monitor and review the Council’s performance and how it makes its decisions in order to ensure it remains accountable to the public.

District councillors are democratically accountable to residents of their district wards. Local Councillors spend a lot of time representing their local community, contributing to policy decisions of the District Council, dealing with individual case work as well as acting as an advocate for their constituents in raising or resolving particular concerns. Councillors only receive an annual allowance for the work they undertake as a locally elected member of the District Council. Their motivation for becoming a Councillor can stem from concerns about their local community and a wish to improve the environment and help the people they represent. However, many also have political ambitions that lead them eventually in the direction of national politics.

After the elected Members of the Council have made decisions, paid staff implement the decisions and deliver services on a daily basis. Some of the paid staff also provide information for Council committees, recommending possible future policy.

About Fenland District CouncilFenland District Council was created at the time of Local Government re-organisation in April 1974 and comprises 39 elected Members, representing 24 wards. The Council is elected every four years. Councillors are democratically accountable to residents of the ward from which they are elected. The overriding duty of Councillors is to the whole community, but they have a special duty to their constituents including those who did not vote for them. Information about District Councillors and their areas is available on our external website.

Committee Information Our work is, in the main, delegated by the Council to committees as follows:

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The Cabinet - this body of Members is empowered to make policy decisions on behalf of the authority;Overview and Scrutiny Panel - to hold the Cabinet to account in its decision-making and to assist in the development of policy;

Planning Committee - determination of planning applications, where not delegated to officers, and the enforcement of breaches of planning control;

Licensing Committee - determination of applications for various licences, where not delegated to officers and the enforcement of breaches of Licensing conditions and non-Licensed activities;

Conduct Committee - responsible for ensuring probity in decision making.

Staff Committee – considers all changes and issues affecting staff, including policy changes or establishment changes.

Corporate Governance – This committee provides independent assurance of the adequacy of the risk management framework and the control environment, plus independently scrutinises the Authority’s financial and non-financial performance, and oversees the financial reporting process.

Committees, (with the exception of the Cabinet, which comprises Members of the controlling political group only) are appointed in accordance with political proportionality. Committees are asked to operate in accordance with the Council’s Constitution. Each year the Council produces a Calendar of Meetings scheduled for committee meetings; this can be found on our Intranet and external website.

Committees are appointed annually by the full Council. Each committee can establish sub-committees to deal with items of business that fall within the remit of the committee. Each committee appoints its own Chairman each year.

Our Vision, Mission and Values

We have a vision for the future which puts the community at its heart. The 20 year vision for the district reflects this and drives all that we do:

“A district where there is a high quality of life for all, now and in the future, which isknown as a great place to live, work, learn

and visit - a place to be proud of”

Our vision for the Council to be is:

“An efficient, progressive and wellgoverned organisation which has the

capacity to deliver current and future localand national priorities.”

Our mission as a Council is:

“To improve quality of life for people livingin the Fenland district.”

In support of our vision and mission we have developed organisational core values that underpin our approach to work we do.

Our core values are:

V alue, respect and dignity for all

A dopt a positive one team approach

L isten, talk and take action

U nderstand, learn and improve

E ncourage, enable and effectively support

S ervice Excellence

Our CultureFenland District Council has a unique and distinctive culture that has been embedded throughout the organisation by the senior management team. Culture is an important aspect in the Council’s transformational change because it unlocked staff potential.

FDC’s organisational culture promotes flexibility, mutual support, high performance and a ‘one team’ approach. This translates as the whole of the organisation seeing themselves as working for the community, rather than for a ‘department.’With no departmentalism restricting the way we work, this has created a focus on the performance of the entire Council instead of individual service teams.

This culture means that we are driven by the needs of our communities and operate on the basis of the priorities that our residents set down for us to

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achieve. Therefore, at Fenland there is no annual ‘bidding’ process for resources from each CMT member. Our resources follow our priorities. Councillors agree our corporate priorities and the Corporate Management Team create resource shifts as appropriate.

Applying this amount of flexibility means that the organisation can more effectively meet the corporate objectives and ensures effective workforce planning with staff in the right place, at the right time, with the right skills. This promotes cross team working right across the organisation and allows staff to utilise their skills within different service areas.

Our Coporate Priorites and objectives are determined by the views of local people, the needs of the Fenland Community, the Fenland Community Strategy as well as national policies and priorities. The authority is responsible for hundreds of different functions, which are carried out on a day to day basis by officers. Most of our services – such as Housing and Council Tax Benefits – are statutory and must be provided. Many other services are non-statutory, and local councillors have, over time, made the decision to carry them out. These include providing four Leisure Centres and high quality Fenland @ Your Service shops.

The objectives address the issues, which the Council believes, are the most important for our organisation to concentrate on and improve. The plan contains a series of specific priorities within each theme for delivery during the next three years.

Political ArrangementsThe Local Government Act 2000 introduced major changes to the internal political management of local government. Councils were required to move away from the traditional committee systems as part of a modernisation process aimed at improving the efficiency of councils and making their decisions more transparent and easily understood by the public.

The Act called for councils to adopt new models of political management with an emphasis on the executive roles and responsibilities of senior councillors. It stressed also the importance of other councillors serving on overview and/or scrutiny committees, which are not part of the executive, but which can examine decisions and improve accountability.

Following extensive research by a cross-party working group and consultation the Council agreed a proposal for executive arrangements comprising a Leader and Cabinet. While the full Council of 39 members will continue to approve the policy framework and budget and decide how the organisation is managed, the Cabinet of nine members proposes the policy framework and budget and takes decisions within that framework.Under this Council’s Leader and Cabinet arrangement a Council Leader is elected by the Council and provides political leadership. Cabinet members have individual portfolios and these are set out below. There is also an Overview and Scrutiny Panel.

The new arrangements were introduced formally immediately after the Council’s Annual Meeting on 16 May 2002. However, the traditional committee system, which had been in operation since 1974, ceased on 21 February 2002 and was replaced by a pilot cabinet system with the cabinet effectively taking decisions previously taken by committees.

The Council has also established a Statutory Conduct Committee. Councillors have to agree to follow a code of conduct which aims to ensure high standards in the way they undertake their duties and it is the role of the Conduct Committee to monitor the operation of the code of conduct and advise councillors.

All meetings of the cabinet, conduct committee and overview and scrutiny panel are held in public unless they contain exempt or confidential information as defined in the Local Government Act 1972.

What is the Role of the Cabinet?The Cabinet is the part of the Council which is responsible for most day-to-day decisions. The Cabinet is made up of nine councillors plus the Leader of the Council and are appointed by the Council. When major decisions are to be discussed or made, these will be published in the Cabinet’s forward plan, so far as they can be anticipated. If these major decisions are to be discussed with council officers at a meeting of the Cabinet, this will generally be open for the public to attend except where personal or confidential matters are being discussed. The Cabinet has to make decisions which are in line with the Council’s overall policies and budget. If it wishes to make a decision which is outside the budget or policy framework, this must

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be referred to the Council as a whole to decide, unless provided for elsewhere in the Constitution.

Cabinet meetings are usually held every three weeks.

What is the Purpose of the Overview and Scrutiny Panel?The Overview and Scrutiny Panel supports the work of the Cabinet and the Council as a whole. The Panel undertakes overview and scrutiny of the Council’s decisions making structure and advises on the development of new policies. It allows citizens to have a greater say in Council matters by holding public inquiries into matters of local concern when appropriate. These can lead to reports and recommendations which advise the Cabinet and the Council as a whole on its policies, budget and service delivery.

This Panel also monitors the decisions of the Cabinet. Following a request by councillors, they can call-in a decision which has been made by the Cabinet or an individual councillor and in some cases by an officer, but not yet implemented. They will consider whether the decision is appropriate and they may recommend that the decision be reconsidered.

The Council is committed to developing and formulating policy on an inclusive basis wherever possible. The Overview and Scrutiny Panel may also be consulted by the Cabinet or the Council on forthcoming decisions. The Panel contains only councillors who are not in the Cabinet but drawn from all political groups. It can also appoint external representatives who are not councillors.

The Council’s ConstitutionThe 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. Some of these processes are required by the law, while others are a matter for the Council to choose.

The constitution is divided into 16 Articles which set out the basic rules governing the Council’s business. More detailed procedures and codes of practice are provided in separate rules and protocols at the end of the document.

Full details of the constitution can be found on the Intranet or copies can be made available on request.

What will be in the Constitution?Article 1 of the Constitution will commit the Council to certain corporate objectives. Articles 2 - 16 will explain the rights of citizens and how the key parts of the Council operate. These are:

Members of the Council Citizens and the Council The Council Meeting Chairing the Council Overview and Scrutiny Decisions The Executive or Cabinet Regulatory and other Committees and Panels The Standards Committee Area Committees Joint Arrangements Officers Decision Making Finance, Contracts and Legal Matters Review and Revision of Constitution Suspension, Interpretation and Publication of the Constitution.

Management StructureThe Council’s management structure consists of the Corporate Management Team (CMT). This small team will work primarily on corporate strategy and policy issues and will coordinate the development and delivery of the Council short, medium and long term objectives.

The corporate directors will concentrate primarily on the quality of service provision within their designated areas, and will continue to work together, along with the Cabinet to achieve the goals of the organisation and continue to deliver high quality services to the public.

The Corporate Management Team are supported by their relevant Heads of Service who will directly deal with the management of their individual services. The two teams will come together on a regular basis to discuss, plan and implement ways for the organisation to develop as a whole.

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Section 3 – Safety at Work

Fenland District Council recognises that good health and safety management supports the delivery of our Services for the people of Fenland. As part of the overall risk management process and culture, good health and safety management will help reduce risk of injury and loss; help promote a healthy workforce and help protect all who are affected by the Council’s services.

We recognise and will meet its common law and statutory health and safety responsibilities. It will provide, so far as is reasonably practicable, a safe and healthy environment for its staff and all persons affected by its undertaking. This will be based on providing safe places of work, safe environments for leisure, safe systems of work, safe equipment and materials for use at work and individuals who are competent.

We will maintain appropriate health and safety management systems, arrangements and organisational structures to ensure adequate health and safety for all people affected by its operations. It has adopted as its model for its health and safety management systems the HSE’s “Successful Health and Safety Management” (HSG 65) and will measure its health and safety management systems against this model. We will monitor and review the effectiveness of these systems.

Managers will ensure health and safety matters are an integral part of all activities and health and safety is given due consideration with other service commitments.

We will endeavour to consult on significant health and safety issues with the workforce in good time to enable staff to express their views on health and safety issues. All staff must actively support the Council’s efforts by working with due regard to the safety of themselves and others. It expects and encourages similar support from contractors, partners and volunteers and co-operation from clients and other visitors who use its facilities or visit premises.

Paul Medd Chief Executive

Health and Safety Employee HandbookThis handbook summarises some of the basic health and safety requirements at work that you are expected to follow to help protect yourself and your colleagues.

It is provided in support of Fenland District Council’s Health and Safety Policy and associated Code of Practice (COPs), which detail the health and safety arrangements within the Council.

You need to ensure that you are familiar with the requirements of these COPs, including whenever they are updated. Corporate Directors, Managers and Supervisors are responsible for the safe working of staff, for providing the appropriate environment and determining the safe procedures necessary for the promotion of health and safety at work.

The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 imposes a legal obligation on everyone of us to take care not only of our own health and safety, but that of any other person who may be affected by what we do or fail to do.

Any health and safety issues should be referred in the first instance to your Manager or Supervisor.You will be issued with a personal copy of this handbook. Please read this handbook and keep it for reference.

Medical and Counselling Services

First AidThere are a number of trained First Aiders in each FDC building. An up to date list is available on each notice board. Should you require first aid attention/advice please contact one of these individuals.

Mental Health First AidersThe council has a committed group of Mental Health First Aiders who can be called upon.

A Mental Health First Aider has been trained to be able to: • Understand the important factors affecting mental ill health • Identify the signs and symptoms for a range of mental health conditions

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• Listen non-judgementally and hold supportive conversations using the Mental Health First Aid action plan.• Signpost people to professional help.

Contact details of these people can be found on the intranet.

Medical Facilities Alongside the first aid provision (see above), if you experience any vocational health issues you can ask to be referred to the Occupational Health Nurse. You should discuss any issues or concerns you have in the first instance with your manager or the HR Team

CounsellingThe Employee Assistance Programme is a free employee benefits package which is paid for on your behalf by the Council.

The service gives you freephone access available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year to a confidential service staffed by fully qualified and experienced staff and counsellors. The service is available to you and your immediate family who live with you and provides personal, legal advice, financial information and also health advice across a wide range of medical and wellbeing issues.

There is no limit to the number of calls an individual can make and all information is treated in the strictest of confidence.

Telephone Legal/Information Services - Issues typically raised: -

Immigration NeighbourDisputes

Insolvency

Personal Injury Anxiety Landlord and Tenant

Property Depression Authority Issues

Revenue Stress management

Local support group info

Social Security/Benefits

Bereavement Marital/Relationship

Solicitors Personal relationship issues

Motoring

Welfare rights Addictive behaviours

Negligence

Wills and Succession

Anger management

Sleep hygiene

Elder care & childcare matching

Legal services Financial & debt support

Nutritional & weight management

Naturopathic Education

Relocation Parenting Midlife & retirement

Career Everyday issues

Contact details This service is provided to us by Lifeworks and they can be contacted either by phone (0800 1691920) or by following the link on the intranet.

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Section 4 – Non Contractual Information

CommunicationEmailMany staff here use Email to communicate with customers, colleagues and other people. If you will be using Email in the course of your work, you will be asked to read and sign our Email protocol - which explains the do’s and don’ts of Email – before you can start using the system. The same applies to the use of the internet whilst at work. Fenland District Council has it’s own internet site at www.fenland.gov.uk

A number of PCs are available for staff who do not have access to a PC for their everyday role to enable them to have access to emails ask your manager for more information.

External MailExternal post is sent out 2nd class unless 1st class is indicated. Please note that personal items of mail (e.g. birthday cards) should not be placed in the Council post for delivery. Any items suspected to be of a personal nature will be return to sender by the Council.

Staff should also not arrange for parcels to be delivered to them whilst at work.

Staff UpdatesThe Council Staff newsletter is known as What’s Breaking and provides up to date information on what is happening in the Council as well as news of latest events around the Council. This is published on the intranet on a regular basis. Additional communications may be circulated to all staff when changes of particular importance are happening across the Council such as the Horse’s Mouth Briefings. Any request for “All Staff” emails must be sent via the What’s Breaking team.

Internal MailWhere possible all post will be scanned to a team post network folder, if post cannot be scanned it will be delivered to a team post box. All post will be scanned or delivered to Fenland Hall by 10.00am Monday – Friday and placed in the team’s post box located in the post room, downstairs at Fenland Hall.

Post will be collected from Fenland Hall at 3pm.

There is a courier service which delivers from and to the other sites within Fenland, for example the business centres, and One Stop Shops. This occurs on a weekly, or bi-weekly pattern to be found on the intranet.

IntranetWe have an Intranet, which you can access directly, if you have a computer at work, or indirectly through a colleague who has access. You will see an Intranet icon on your desktop – all you need to do is click on it to start using the Intranet. On the intranet you will find lots of information about FDC, including the latest news, policies, useful documents and all our job vacancies.

Team BriefingsTeam Briefings or Staff meetings take place within individual teams on a regular basis. All staff will also be invited at regular intervals to attend Staff Briefings with the Chief Executive.

Notice boardsThere are a number of staff notice boards located across the majority of Fenland District Council sites which contain general information for staff as well as specific UNISON information. The locations of the notice boards within Fenland Hall are as follows:

Fenland Hall – 1st Floor

Outside Room 76

Fenland Hall – Ground Floor

Opposite the coffee machine

Outside of Fenland Hall

TelephoneIf you will need to use the telephone for your work, your manager will arrange for someone to show you how the system works in your location.

All internal extension numbers are 4 digits. Private telephone calls are discouraged so please use a mobile phone, or public phone. If you need to use a council phone for a personal call, please check with your manager first.

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Social Networking SitesThe use of any social networking sites during work time is not permitted.

Please be aware if you are using such sites during your own time, as an employee of the council you should not permit any information to be published on your webpage that could bring the council into disrepute. It is also not permitted to contribute to any discussion that may be perceived in this way.

FDC AwardsWe have an annual staff awards scheme which allows the council to celebrate our many successes. All staff are eligible to nominate and equally be nominated and details of the event and process are circulated in the lead up to the event. The awards recognise the following categories:

Employee of the YearStaff throughout the organisation are invited to nominate colleagues who regularly deliver a great service and often go above and beyond the requirements of their role.

Manager of the yearThe winner of the Manager of the Year award will have shown excellent leadership qualities as well as being a great motivator to others.

Team of the Year AwardThis award recognises a team who deliver excellent results by working together and supporting one another

Chief Executive’s AwardThe Chief Executive alone decides on a worthy winner of this award. The Chief Executive can choose an individual or team who have performed exceptionally well throughout the year and present them with this prestigious honour.

Long Service RecognitionAs suggested by colleagues through recent staff surveys, some members of staff have worked for the Council for many years, and their commitment to the organisation should be recognised. Awards will now be presented for long service after 15 years of service and every further 5 years of service which follow (so 15, 20, 25, 30 years etc).

Customer Service Excellence AwardThe winner of this award (a team or an individual) will have delivered an excellent customer service to the local community.

Nominations will be invited from colleagues, but the panel will also consider compliments received through the 3Cs service.

Star of Fenland AwardThis popular category will involve staff voting for the people they have nominated

Communication with the MediaFenland District Council operates a press procedure within the organisation. The procedure is designed to streamline the communication flow between authorised spokespeople at FDC and relevant media and to permit a high quality dialogue, primarily concentrated on business activity.

No-one in FDC is authorised to speak to the press on any matter except for those with express permission to do so.

Staff ParkingDemand for car parking spaces at Fenland Hall is high. Staff should ensure they park in a considerate manner and avoid parking in visitors’ car park spaces. It is also essential that you do not block the ambulance bay or park in the spaces directly in front of the Ambulance station as these spaces are for the Ambulance staff.

Demand for car parking at Fenland Hall is high.

The car park is shared with our employees and The Fenland Psychological Wellbeing Service.

At times sections of the car park will be reserved for meetings to ensure that parking is available for Councillors or members of the public. Staff should not park in the reserved areas at these times. Please be advised that vehicles are left at the owner’s risk, and Fenland District Council cannot accept liability for any property that is damaged or stolen.

CyclingThere are facilities for parking bikes at Fenland, which provides under cover storage for bikes. However, all bikes are left at the owner’s risk.

The council runs a cycle to work scheme which assists with the purchase of a bike. Please ask you

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line manager for further details

Collections for CharityCollections on behalf of either individuals or the organisation, charitable or otherwise, are only allowed on the premises if they have prior approval from the Chief Executive.

Trade UnionsThe Council recognises the trade union UNISON. Staff will receive further information about UNISON, including the benefits of joining and how to do so as part of their corporate induction. Alternatively, you can contact the Branch Secretary.

Further information on UNISON can be found in the letter below:

“Greetings and welcome to Fenland District Council.I’m writing on behalf of UNISON, the UK’s largest trade union, representing 1.3 million workers across the public sector. We are also the only recognised trade union at Fenland District Council with membership across all areas of the authority.If you are not a member of UNISON then please consider joining up. As a member of UNISON, you will be part of a collective body negotiating for better pay, better terms and conditions and tackling inequalities in the workplace. Locally, UNISON will also be able to offer representation to you should you ever require it at work, be it disciplinary matters or consultation issues.

However, we also like to try to give something back to our membership and in recent years we have sponsored work nights out, Christmas parties and subsidised shopping trips to London.

Aside from the most important issue of representing our members, UNISON also works closely with numerous ‘Service Providers’ to offer special deals to UNISON members, such as UNISON Holiday Club, Frizzell insurance, Britannia Building Society and Britannia Rescue to name but a few services.

Further details can be found in the pack in the Forms section, or call UNISON Direct on 0845 355 0845 or visit the website at www.unison.org.uk

If you are already an existing member of UNISON and need to transfer your membership then please contact the unison office at Fenland Hall on 01354

62(2356).

Thank you for taking the time to read this and look forward to hearing from you.

Regards,Branch Secretary”

It is important for harmonious employment relations that staff should be kept informed on all matters which concern them, and that their views be sought on existing practices and on proposed changes which would affect them. The Council will also seek to consult with staff in other ways e.g. staff questionnaires or focus groups.

ICT ServicesThe Council Information and Communication Technology policy document provides the framework under which IT facilities are provided and maintained within the Council.

All staff are entitled to a network user ID, an email account for internal and external email and can use Internet facilities provided they sign and follow the provisions of the relevant policy documents and prove their competence within a reasonable timescale.

Support for the use of all of the Council’s ICT is provided by the Council IT Help Desk, which can be contacted on extension 2278 or via E Mail on helpdesk@gov.uk

Systems are set up so that data can be saved to the network, where it is backed up regularly by ICT.

ICT Code of ConductAll employees must sign the IT code of conduct.Always log into the network using your own User ID, or a Council ID where appropriate. Never log in as another user, or allow someone else to log in as you.

Passwords must be carefully chosen, and must not be written down or disclosed to anyone. Passwords must not contain the user’s account name, or parts of the user’s full name that exceed two consecutive characters, must be at least eight characters in length, must contact characters from three of the following four categories:

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1. Uppercase characters (A through Z)2. Lowercase characters (A through Z)3. Numbers (0 through 9)4. Special characters (for example; !, $, #,%)

You cannot use the previous 20 passwords and change of passwords is required every 90 days.Computers must be logged out (or locked using the operating system) when the user leaves them.The provisions of the relevant Data Protection Act must be followed.

Software must never be modified, installed or deleted without permission.

Software or data must never be copied without permission.

Council facilities must not be used to run a business or other enterprise.

Inappropriate messages must never be sent by email or other forms of electronic communication.

When using the Internet:Never access inappropriate sitesNever download material that violates copyrightNever download large files without authorisation of the ICT Manager.

Any violation of copyright, software licence agreements, the Data Protection Act, the Council email policy or the Council Internet policy will be treated as a disciplinary offence. Furthermore, the Council will not indemnify any employee against legal action taken by offended parties.

Other OfficesFenland Hall is the headquarters of the Council where the majority of the Council’s services are located. In addition Environmental services, Refuse and Street Cleansing services are located at The Base on Melbourne Avenue on the outskirts of March.

We have four ‘Fenland at Your Service’ shops. The shops are located in the four market towns of March, Wisbech, Chatteris and Whittlesey. These are found in prime town centre locations and enable our customers to have easy access to a whole range of Council services. We have two Business centres being The Boathouse in Wisbech and the South Fens Business Centre in

Chatteris.

The CCTV service is operated by a shared service with Peterborough City Council. This is an excellent support to the council and emergency services and the community as a whole.

We also have a bustling Port in Wisbech and our Marine Services team are based at The Boathouse in Wisbech.

Design, Print, Post & StoresThe Print, Post & Stores Room (ground floor at The Base) provides a full range of print services for staff, including:

Large print runs

Collating, folding and stapling

A3 copying

Colour copying

Comb binding

Laminating

Supplies of office stationery can also be ordered by the intranse. Photocopiers for use by staff can be found at various locations in all Fenland District Council buildings. Access to the copiers is via your payroll number, which will be provided to you as part of your local induction.

Vending MachinesVending machines for hot and cold drinks are situated on both the ground and first floor at Fenland Hall, there is also a cold drink machine and a vending machine selling a variety of snacks located in breakout area on the 1st floor.

Car SchemeThe Council operates a scheme designed to enable employees to purchase a new or second-hand car. This scheme is available to all employees subject to successful completion of any probation period. In all cases the applicant for a loan must at the time of making the application have passed the Department of Transport driving test.

Car AllowancesEmployees, who under their Contract of Employment are classified as an Essential User, are required to

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have a car available for use in their jobs and will receive an annual allowance (paid monthly) in accordance with the NJCLGS scheme as amended by the Council Policy. It is essential that you have the appropriate insurance cover to include business mileage. Proof of this will be requested on an annual basis. You must also be able to prove that the vehicle is road worthy and therefore a valid MOT will be required. Any breaches in this requirement may result in the Car Allowance being withdrawn and milage not being paid.

Employee Benefits PensionFenland District Council is part of the Local Government Pension Scheme and eligible employees will be automatically enrolled in this on commencement of their employment or upon meeting the eligibility requirements. This will be deducted from your salary on a monthly basis. For full details or information on how to opt out of this please contact a member of the HR Team.

Salary SacrificeFenland District Council offers a range of salary sacrifice schemes to employees subject. Full information on these is available on the intranet or by contacting a member of the HR Team.

FDC offers a range of salary sacrifice schemes to employees - for example Cycle to work, Voluntary Health cash plan and mobile phone plan.

There are other schemes and incentives available to our employee benefit hub using the link available on our intranet.

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Section 5 – Employment Information Code of Conduct

1.1 OverviewAs an employee of the Council, you are involved in complex issues associated with the provision of services to the local community. The way you carry out your duties must promote and maintain public confidence and trust in the work of the Council.

Although there is no single set of rules that can answer all ethical questions, the Council’s Code of Conduct provides an ethical framework for the decisions, actions and behaviour of your work as a public official. If you find yourself in a situation where there is no clear agreement on what is ‘the right thing to do’, you can:

• refer to this Code of Conduct, and/or any applicable guidelines, policies and procedures

• discuss the situation with your line manager and use the Quick Guide to work through the issues (page 25)

• contact Human Resources or Internal Audit for assistance.

1.2 What is the Code of Conduct?This Code of Conduct is designed to provide guidance about what is expected from you in your daily work and in your dealings with elected Councillors, colleagues and the public.

All Council employees must be familiar with the Code of Conduct. This document forms part of your contract of employment and you are required to comply with its contents. Failure to do so may result in disciplinary action; serious breaches could potentially lead to your dismissal.

For this reason, it is important that you read the whole of this document and ask your manager or supervisor for clarification if there is anything in it that you don’t understand or need explaining. Once you have signed and returned the acceptance section on the flap of the cover, it will be assumed that you understand its contents and agree to comply with your contract of employment and all the rules and policies, etc that it refers to.

If you have management responsibilities, you need to ensure that employees reporting to you have access to the Code and are given opportunities for training where appropriate. Please ensure that they have returned the slip confirming receipt and understanding of the code to the HR/OD team. Please ensure that any breaches are discussed with the HR/OD team at the earliest opportunity.

Who does the Code apply to?The Code applies to you and all employees and anyone acting on behalf of Fenland District Council (including work placement, agency staff and legal representatives).

Although the Code does not directly apply to contractors, consultants or volunteers, the Council’s continued association with these individuals and/ or their organisations requires them to observe and comply with the Code.

However, in some instances, compliance may be a condition of the contract between a third party and the Council, in which case their compliance with the Code would be binding. Elected Councillors have their own Code of Conduct, which is available on the Council’s intranet site.

Breaches of the Code and standards set by the Council may result in disciplinary action. If you are unsure about any aspect of the Code, please raise it with your manager or supervisor at the earliest opportunity.

1.3 What can you expect from the Council?For the Council to run efficiently, it’s vital that you understand your work and your responsibilities whilst at work. You also need to understand how your activities outside work may have an impact on your employment at FDC.

The public is entitled to expect the highest standards of conduct from you and all employees. Your role is to serve the Council in providing advice, implementing its policies and delivering services to the local community. In performing your duties you must act with integrity, honesty, impartiality and objectivity.

So that you are clear about your responsibilities, the Council has various rules, procedures and policies that affect all employees and you will be made

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aware of these at your induction. There may also be very particular rules, requirements or codes that apply to your job or work area which you will have been told about before you start work. You will be advised should these rules or procedures change during your working life with the Council.

You are accountable, and owe a duty to, the Council. You must act in accordance with the principles set out in this code, recognising the duty of all public sector employees to discharge public functions reasonably and according to the law.

You must follow every lawfully expressed policy of the Council and must not allow your own personal or political opinions to interfere with your work. Where a post is politically restricted, by reason you hold or the nature of the work they do, you must comply with any statutory restrictions on political activities.

1.4 What does the Council expect from you?In summary, you are required to:

• Attend work in a condition where you are able to carry out your duties safely and effectively.

• Act honestly.

• Act with dignity and treat all others with dignity and respect.

• Work in accordance with the terms and conditions of your contract of employment and job description and in accordance with contracts under which the Council has obligations.

• Understand and apply the Council’s rules, policies, codes of practice and procedures.

• Be committed to delivering quality services to service users.

• Understand and act in accordance with the Council’s vision, core competencies and values, policy and procedures.

1.5 Where can you find details of the policies and standards that apply to you?The various sections of this document summarise the Council’s key policies and procedures in respect of

behaviour and the ways in which you are required to work.

If you are affected by any of the policies contained in this document or you are in any doubt about how they apply to you, you should always refer to the detailed rules or the policies and procedures in full in any of the following ways:

• Through your New Starter induction process

• You can find the information on the Council’s Intranet site, in the People Policy section

• You can ask for a paper copy from your line manager or supervisor

• You can contact the HR Team on hr-atyourservice@fenland.gov.uk

1.6 What happens if the content of the Code changes?The Council will take every reasonable step to ensure that the Code of Conduct is kept up to date. The most up to date version will always be the one that is available on the Intranet site. Changes to the Code will be consulted on with Staff Side and widely communicated.

2. Standards of BehaviourWorking relationships must be based on mutual respect and should be kept on a professional basis. Employees should deal with the public, Councillors and other employees empathetically, efficiently and without bias.

2.1 Workplace Behaviour and Personal ConductYou must comply with policies relating to equality issues, as agreed by the Council, in addition to the requirements of the law. You should treat colleagues, elected Councillors and members of the public with dignity and respect.

You should:

• Ensure that your conduct is not inappropriately discriminatory or harassing to others.• Ensure your behaviour and performance meets work place standards at any time that you are representing the Council or are likely to be identified or associated with your role as a public official (whether or not you are ‘on duty’ at the time).

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• Make sure you are familiar with and follow the Council’s policies on equal opportunities and the Dignity at Work policy.

• Ensure that you develop and maintain appropriate skills in valuing diversity.

2.2 GrievancesIf you have a concern or grievance in relation to certain aspects of your employment then you should, in the first instance, raise the matter informally with your line manager, in accordance with the Grievance policy. This procedure also provides an opportunity for you to formally lodge a grievance that has not been resolved through informal means. Any employee who submits a grievance in good faith will not suffer any adverse consequences as a result of submitting the grievance.

2.3 Reporting AbsenceIf you are unable to attend work for any reason, you must advise your manager as soon as possible. In the specific case of sickness absence, you must notify your manager to enable your manager to make alternative arrangements for your work to be covered. Further information is available in the Council’s Sickness Absence Policy.

2.4 MisconductThe Code of Conduct guides and assists employees acting in good faith. If, in your decisions, actions or conduct you knowingly fail to comply with the standards outlined in the Code of Conduct, you may be guilty of misconduct and are likely to fall subject to disciplinary action, which could include dismissal.

2.5 Learning and DevelopmentYou will be required to participate in relevant learning and development opportunities to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to perform your job and to enhance the delivery of services to the community.

You should seek feedback on your work performance and reasonably engage in any plans for improving your work performance such as springboards, 121s.

2.6 Alcohol and DrugsYou must not consume alcohol, use illicit drugs or other illegal substances while at work. You must also ensure that the consumption of any substance outside of the working environment does not

adversely affect the work performance and safety of yourself or others, and does not bring the Council into disrepute.

Similarly, if you are taking legally prescribed or over-the-counter drugs, you must ensure that their use does not adversely affect your work performance and the safety of yourself and others.

If you are a supervisor or manager, you will need to consider the options available for assisting employees who are required to take legally prescribed drugs and whose level of performance has been impaired. In these circumstances, a risk assessment should be undertaken with the assistance of the Occupational Health and Human Resources.

For example, if you are:

• On call, you should not consume alcohol in the event that you are recalled to work or are required to deal with any work related issues over the telephone.

• Taking prescribed medication, you should ensure you are well aware of any side effects that may impair your ability to do your job.

Further guidance is available in the Council’s Substance Misuse Code of Practice and the Council’s Drug and Alcohol policy.

2.7 Health, Safety and Well-BeingAll employees have a personal and legal responsibility under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 for themselves, colleagues and visitors to the Council’s buildings and premises. These responsibilities are identified in the Council’s Health and Safety policy.

In summary, the policy states that you must:

• Look after the health and safety of yourself and others who may be affected by your actions or failure to carry out certain actions at work.

• Co-operate with your manager, attend training sessions, and carry out reasonable instructions.

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3. Protecting the Council and its Employees

3.1 Other EmploymentIf you are graded Band 6 or above, you should devote your whole time to service the Council and shall not engage in any other business or take up any additional appointment without the express consent of your Corporate Director. There are some other posts where other employment is restricted and details of this will be found in your contract of employment.

It is important that you ensure that any additional employment does not conflict with the interests of the Council or affect your ability and credibility to do your job. You must also ensure that Council time and/or resources are not utilised in connection with any approved or unapproved private employment.

If in doubt, the best thing to do is to discuss the circumstances with your manager.

3.2 Use of AuthorityYou should not use your official position, status, powers or authority to seek to improperly influence a decision or action or seek favourable treatment personally or for friends and family.

You are expected to provide honest, impartial and comprehensive advice regardless of your personal assessment on a matter. If your personal views conflict with the performance of your official duties or if you believe that you cannot act impartially, you should contact your line manager and attempt to resolve the conflict.

When requested, you are expected to provide Councillors and colleagues at all levels with advice which is frank, independent, based on an accurate representation of the facts and as comprehensive as possible.

When exercising a discretionary power, you should ensure that the power is being used properly, impartially, equitably and is consistent with relevant legislation, delegations, procedures or guidelines. In exercising any power associated with your employment, you must ensure that you are either statutorily authorised to do so or that you have been delegated the power by a person with the necessary authority to issue the delegation.

3.3 Conduct outside Working TimeGenerally, what you do outside work is your own concern, but you should avoid doing anything that might adversely affect the reputation of the Council or bring the Council into disrepute. In your official capacity (as a Council employee) or personal capacity, you must not allow your personal interests to conflict with the Council’s requirements or use your position to improperly confer an advantage or disadvantage on any person. This includes the use of all social media. If you are not sure whether or how this may affect you in your Council role, speak to your manager. If you act contrary to a concern provided by your manager, you may find yourself subject to disciplinary action.

3.4 Criminal Charges and ConvictionsThe Council requires all applicants for jobs to disclose all contraventions of, or failures to comply with, any provisions of law, whether committed in the UK or elsewhere, unless the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act applies and the rehabilitation period has expired. In some circumstances, Disclosure and Barring Service checks (DBS checks) are conducted on all successful applicants for certain positions in the Council.

Once you are an employee, you must notify the Council in writing if you are charged with any offence or if you are convicted of any offence. If you are charged with an offence, the notice must be given immediately after you are charged (i.e. next working day). If you are convicted of any offence, the notification must be given immediately after you are convicted (i.e. next working day). It should be noted that the term “conviction” includes a finding of guilt, regardless of whether or not a conviction is recorded. Failure to notify the Council in either case will constitute grounds for disciplinary action.

3.5 Use of Council Property, Facilities and EquipmentCouncil facilities are to be used for the Council’s business and for no other purpose unless you have your Director’s (or their nominees) written permission beforehand.

You cannot use equipment, stores, materials and facilities provided by the Council for your private use, e.g. telephones, photocopiers, computers and faxes, unless you have been authorised to do so by

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your manager. No private work may be carried out in the Council’s time, or on the Council’s premises or with the use of the Council’s equipment, assets or resources.

The Council allows reasonable, non-official use of internet and email, as long as individual or service performance is not compromised or adversely affected as a result. Your line manager can provide you with clarification as to what constitutes reasonable, non-official use. However, as a general rule, such use should be restricted to outside of working hours, during lunch breaks etc. (For further advice, see the Council’s Internet and Email Protocol).

3.6 Dealing with the Council’s MoneyAll employees must ensure that they use public funds entrusted to them in a responsible and lawful manner. They should strive to ensure value for money to the local community and to avoid legal challenge to the Council.

If you have at anytime responsibility for the following you should comply with the Council’s Standing Orders and Financial Regulations: -

Collecting income/debts owed to the council.

Spending of Council funds

Managing budgets

Acquiring, storing or disposing of items for resale or use.

Should you have responsibility for budgets and/or purchasing, you must ensure that you understand and comply with the Council’s Standing Orders and financial regulations etc as set out in the Council’s Constitution.When committing Council money, you must ensure that there is an approved budget for such expenditure and that the expenditure is within the limits that you are personally authorised to incur.

Employees involved in the tendering process and dealing with contractors must be clear on the need to maintain commercial confidentiality and objectivity through the separation of client and contractor roles within the Council. Employees must not use their position as an employee of the

Council to obtain the benefit of discount from other companies/organisations or contractors other than those negotiated for the benefit of all employees.

You must declare any financial interest, whether direct or indirect, that you or your partner may have in any contract or proposed contract with the Council. You should also consider declaring non-financial interests, for example, where you do voluntary work for an organisation in receipt of a grant from the Council. If you are in any doubt then you should contact the HR/OD for further advice and clarification.

3.7 Conflict of InterestYou must not allow your private interests or beliefs to conflict with your professional duty. You must not misuse your official position or information acquired in the course of their employment to further your private interest or the interests of others.

If a conflict occurs between your private interests and public duties you must resolve the conflict in favour of your public duties. You can refer to Council procedures or guidelines for advice in analysing, declaring and registering conflicts of interest.

You must advise your manager in writing of any personal or immediate family private interests that may give rise to a conflict of interest with your official duties, particularly if you are involved in making decisions affecting contracting, tendering or regulatory functions.

You should comply with any reasonable request from the Chief Executive to provide information relating to your personal interests or the interests of a dependent or spouse.

Examples of conflicts (or perceived conflicts) between personal interests and public duties that should be declared and in some cases avoided include:• Employees in positions that could influence or be perceived to influence, funding allocations, accepting appointments to executive or management positions in organisations that receive or seek to receive funding from the Council.

• Staff who have access to computer databases of customers\updating their own personal records or those of close relatives.

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• As a purchasing officer liaising with or administering the payment to a supplier who employs one of your close relatives.• Employees being contracted to provide services to the Council outside of their paid employment.

• Generating work which involves travel to provide an opportunity to visit friends.

• A supervisor who is in a position to approve higher duties or provide other benefits to a subordinate where a close personal relationship exists (such as a partner or family member or close personal friend).

• Involvement with an interview panel when a relationship exists with one of the applicants.

3.8 Gifts and HospitalityYou should take great care when dealing with offers of gifts or hospitality. It is very easy for a member of the public to misinterpret gifts and hospitality and believe that you have taken this in exchange for some action.

You should abide by the rules of the Council about the declaration of gifts offered to or received by you from any person or body seeking to do business with the authority or which would benefit from a relationship with the Council. You should not accept benefits from a third party unless authorised to do so by your Corporate Director.

You should not accept significant gifts or hospitality, particularly where they would benefit you personally. Examples would be tickets to sporting or social events, meals, bottles of alcohol, or boxes of chocolates. Where hospitality is provided as part of an event and is available to all participants this is generally acceptable. Equally it is generally acceptable to receive nominal gifts such as pens, diaries, or other small stationary items.Should you be placed in a position where refusal of a gift would cause offence (this may be particularly relevant around Christmas and other festivals) it is suggested that consideration be given to passing the gift to the Council’s Chairman for use in relation to his/her charity.

The registration of gifts and hospitality can be done via the intranet, or by contacting Members Services team.

If you are in any doubt, you should seek the guidance of the Council’s Monitoring Officer before accepting any gifts or hospitality offered.

3.8.1 CorruptionIt is a serious criminal offence to engage in any activity where you receive (or ask for) any gift, fee, loan, reward or other advantage for taking or not taking some action whilst undertaking your official duties.

3.9 SponsorshipWhere the Council sponsors an event or service, an employee, or any partner, spouse or relative must not benefit from the sponsorship. Employees must seek guidance from their manager if they are involved with any event or service that the Council proposes to sponsor.

3.10 Political, Professional and Trade Union ActivityYou should ensure that your right to engage in political or professional activities does not result in an actual or perceived conflict of interest with your official duties with the Council. You should ensure that you are able, and be seen to be able, to remain unbiased in the performance of those duties.

Council employees serve the Council as a whole and in carrying out your work you must be politically neutral, ensuring that individual rights of all elected Councillors are respected. In your capacity as a Council employee, you should not attend meetings of political groups unless specifically authorised by the Chief Executive or Director. Such neutrality does not mean that you cannot be a member of a political party.If you are a member of a professional body, you are expected to uphold the standards of performance and conduct set and this Code of Conduct. However, it is noted that there can be exceptions to this where there is legislative authority to do so. If you believe a conflict exists between your official role and the standards of your professional body, you must raise your concerns with your line manager.

If you are a workplace representative of a trade union or professional association, you should ensure that when you make public comment, it is clear that comment is made on behalf of the union

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or association you represent and not the Council. Provisions relating to Facility Time to undertake official union roles are outlined in the Trade Unions Facilities Agreement.

3.11 Information Disclosure and ConfidentialityAs a Council employee, you may obtain information that has not been made public and is still confidential. You must never disclose information given in confidence by anyone, or information acquired which you believe is of a confidential nature, without the express consent of a person authorised to give it or unless you are required to by law. You should not use any information obtained in the course of your employment for personal gain or benefit.

You must not prevent another person from gaining access to information to which that person is entitled by law. You must not disclose confidential information for your own personal use or for use by anyone else known to you, or to the disadvantage or the discredit of the Council or anyone else.

You must always observe the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998, the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and the Council’s procedures for the release of personal information held about other employees or members of the public. Breach of confidentiality may be considered a serious disciplinary offence, which could result in dismissal.

When you leave your employment with the Council, you must still respect the confidentiality of official information that may have been available to you in the course of your duties and not use this information for private, commercial or political gain. Openness in the dissemination of information and decision making should be the norm in the Council. However, certain information may be confidential or sensitive and therefore not appropriate to a wide audience. Where confidentiality is necessary to protect the privacy or other rights of individuals or bodies, information should not be released to anyone other than relevant authority employees or other person who is entitled to receive it, or needs to have access to it for the proper discharge of their functions. Nothing in this Code can be taken as overriding existing statutory or common law obligations to keep certain information confidential, or to divulge certain information.

Where you become aware of activities which you believe illegal, improper, unethical or otherwise

inconsistent with the code of conduct for employees, you should report the matter, acting in accordance with your rights under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 and in accordance with the authority’s confidential reporting procedure.

All staff should be aware that any breach of confidentiality could result in the Council’s sensitive and confidential data being disclosed to other interested parties and any such conduct you maybe liable to summary dismissal under the disciplinary procedure (Gross Misconduct).

The Council may monitor all electronic communications using equipment provided by it, including desktop PCs, laptops, mobile and fixed-line telephones.

3.12 Intellectual PropertyIntellectual property is a legal term that refers to the rights and obligations received and granted, including copyright. Ownership of intellectual property is determined by considering the circumstances in which it was conceived and developed. The Council owns the copyright in material made by, or under its direction. Whether you are an employee or a contractor, copyright in material you produce in the course of your work belongs to the Council, unless otherwise explicitly provided for in your contract of employment.

You must obtain permission from the Chief Executive or their delegate before publishing or disclosing any articles, processes or materials that you have produced as part of your employment. You must ensure that consultants and contractors engaged to provide a service for the Council are aware that this work is the intellectual property of the Council.

3.13 SecurityYou must visibly display your ID Card at all times while you are on any Council premises. All employees are required to challenge anyone in an employee and/or secure area of the Council’s premises without either an Employee ID or Visitor’s Badge. You must not allow any individual not displaying an ID Badge to follow you into any secure area of the Council’s premises.If you lose your ID card, you must report it immediately to your manager. If you have a visitor coming to see you at the Council’s premises, you must follow the Visitor arrangements with main reception.

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3.14 Public Comment on Council Policy and Administration‘Public comment’ in this section includes public speaking engagements, comments on radio and television, letters to newspapers, and expressing views in books, journals or notices if it is expected that the comments will spread to the community at large.

All media (including electronic media) requests for information and enquiries that relate to policy and procedures or operational activities must be referred to the Council’s Communications Team.

When making authorised public comment in an official capacity, you must:

• Ensure it is part of your official role.

• Not misrepresent the facts concerning Government or Council policy or administration.

• Comply with the confidential information provisions of the Data Protection Act.

• Respect the confidentiality of information that has not been approved for release either by the Cabinet or through official Council channels.

In your capacity as a private citizen, you have the same rights as any other member of the public to openly discuss or comment on community and social issues. However, there are some circumstances where you may still need to take care in making such comments. For example, a situation could arise when public comment, although made in a private capacity, may appear to be an official comment on behalf of the Council. In such circumstances you should indicate clearly that your comment is made in a private capacity and does not represent the official view of the Council.

3.15 Internal Audit and Risk ManagementAn effective internal audit function and risk management framework are important mechanisms for the Council to ensure effective internal control, good financial systems and management of risk. All employees have a responsibility to contribute to this work and, where an agreed action plan makes you personally responsible for progressing a particular action, it is your responsibility to ensure that it is

undertaken within the agreed timescale.

4. Ways of Working

4.1 If you are in a management roleAs a manager, you have a responsibility to set a good example for employees through your own behaviour and attitudes, especially in relation to upholding the ethical principles, obligations and standards as set in this Code of Conduct. You should ensure that you understand your responsibilities under relevant financial, technological, information, human, knowledge/intellectual and physical asset management legislation, policies and procedures, maintaining the principles of accountability, continuous improvement, fairness, flexibility and equity in the workplace.

You should ensure that employees understand the behaviours (competencies) and performance standards expected from them and objectively assess their performance against these standards.

You must ensure that relevant legislation, delegations, and Council policies and procedures are accessible to all employees in your workgroup.

You should ensure that all employees who report to you are familiar with the requirements and objectives of their job, and have access to the information, training, supervision, feedback and work conditions needed to achieve them.

You should be honest and objective in reporting the skills and qualities of employees in testimonials, references and performance reports, ensuring your decisions can be substantiated against objective standards and indicators.You are required to act promptly, thoroughly and fairly when responding to, or investigating grievances and reports of breaches of the Code of Conduct.

If you are involved in the recruitment and appointment of staff, you must ensure that appointments are made on the basis of merit. In order to avoid any accusation of bias, those employees must not be involved in any appointment, or any other decision relating to discipline, promotion or pay and conditions for any other employee, or prospective employee, to who you are related or with whom you have a close personal relationship outside work.

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4.2 Following Instructions• You are expected to follow all reasonable and lawful instructions related to your work given by a person with the authority to issue such instructions.

• You should accept that you may not personally agree with all decisions made by your manager.

• You may refuse to comply with an instruction that appears to be unlawful and report the matter to an appropriate senior officer.

• You should tell the person giving an unreasonable instruction that the instruction is, in your view, unreasonable and allow them the opportunity to respond. In the interim, you are generally required to carry out the instruction unless:

there is a danger to a person’s health and safety or a conflict of interest may exist or it does not comply with Council policy and practice.

Managers must be able to justify their instructions and decisions in line with their delegations, authority, and Council policies and procedures, and be open and respond promptly to constructive questions.

If you object to an instruction on genuine conscientious grounds, or if there may be a perceived conflict with a professional code of ethics, you should attempt to negotiate and resolve the matter with your manager to achieve a mutually acceptable solution. If a local resolution is unable to be reached, refer the issue to your Director.

4.3 Working with CouncillorsMutual respect between employees and Councillors is essential to good local government. Close personal familiarity between employees and elected Councillors can damage the relationship and cause embarrassment to other employees, and should be avoided.

Councillors have their own Code of Conduct that they are also required to comply with.4.4 Communication with Senior Officers and CouncillorsWhen required, you are expected to provide Councillors, the Chief Executive or other line managers with advice that is clear, independent, based on accurate and comprehensive

representation of the facts. This includes setting out the advantages, disadvantages, costs and consequences of the available options and where appropriate, recommending a course of action.

When communicating directly with Councillors on issues affecting you as a private citizen, you should ensure your actions comply with the obligations relating to public comment and conflicts of interest.

Where a Monitoring Officer is undertaking an investigation in accordance with Part III of the Local Government Act 2000 and associated regulations, you must comply with any requirement made by that Monitoring Officer in connection with such an investigation.

4.5 Working with Local Community and Service UsersEmployees should always remember their responsibilities to the community they serve and should provide courteous, efficient and impartial service delivery to all groups and individuals within the community in accordance with policy and procedures of the Council.

4.6 Working with ContractorsAll relationships of a business or private nature with external contractors, or potential contractors, should be made known in writing to your Director. Orders and contracts must be awarded in accordance with the Council’s Standing Orders and procurement process. No special favour in the tendering process must be shown to businesses run by, for example, friends, partners, or relatives. No part of the local community must be discriminated against.

4.7 Working SafelyAny activity that presents a significant risk to the health, safety or well-being of an employee or other person must have been subject to a written risk assessment. This is a tool which managers must use to determine the safest and best way of carrying out the work, including appropriate training, personal protective equipment etc. Appropriate safety controls should all be summarised on the risk assessment or safe system of work procedure and provided to the relevant employees.

Employees must follow the resulting safe system of work to ensure their safety and that of others is not

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put at risk. If these are not in place, speak to your manager in the first instance or your Health and Safety adviser.

For example, you must:

• Comply with the instructions given for workplace health and safety at the workplace by the Council.

• Use personal protective equipment if the equipment is provided and you have been properly instructed to use it.

• Not deliberately or recklessly interfere with or misuse anything provided for workplace health and safety at the workplace.

• Not intentionally place at risk the health and safety of any person at the workplace.

• Not deliberately injure yourself.

• Report to your supervisor any workplace hazards that cannot be immediately rectified.

• Ensure that you comply in practice with any guidelines given for performing manual handling tasks.

• Take all reasonable steps to ensure that employees you supervise are following guidelines and have access to job-specific training.

4.8 Dress StandardsYour dress style must reflect appropriate workplace health, safety and security considerations applicable to your job and work environment.

5. Reporting Breaches of the Code of ConductIf you are concerned about any practice you see in the Council which you think conflicts with the Code of Conduct, you should obtain advice from your manager, Trade Union representative, or any other appropriate person as identified in the Council’s policies/Codes of Practice referred to in the Code of Conduct.The Public Interests Disclosures Act 1998 and the Council’s Disclosure (Whistleblowing) Policy can provide safeguards for employees and public officials who disclose unlawful and improper conduct including breaches of this Code. (Please also refer to the Council’s Whistleblowing Policy).

Public interest disclosures should be made directly to the Monitoring Officer, or to the Corporate Director & Chief Finance Officer.

Any suspicion of money laundering must be reported in the first instance to the Corporate Director & Chief Finance Officer.

6. A Quick GuideA Quick Guide to making an ethical decision

Not every ethical dilemma can be detailed in a Code of Conduct. This is because every situation is different. To help you assess a situation, a useful rule is – when in doubt, talk about it. You can talk with your manager, a colleague, trade union representative, or Human Resources.

It is important to analyse all the relevant facts and circumstances before deciding what the ethical thing to do is.

6.1. What is the problem? – describe the situation

• What is happening and who is involved?

• Who is affected?

• What are the job expectations?

• What are the actual or foreseeable consequences and impact?

• What guidance is there in legislation and the Code of Conduct?

• Which Council policy or procedure applies?

• Why do I feel uncomfortable with this?

6.2. Is it an ethical problem? – apply the Code of Conduct

• What ethics obligations and standards apply?

• Would the public see the proposed conduct, decision or advice as fair, honest and appropriate?

• Is the public’s confidence in the Council at risk?

• Are the values of natural justice, accountability and reasonableness met?

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• Has the Council’s duty of care been compromised?

• Are my personal and professional beliefs and values compromised?

6.3. What action should be taken? – identify options

• Do I have the power or authority to deal with the issue?

• Who else should I talk to?

• What options are available that meets the relevant ethics principles?

• What is consistent with current policy and practice?

• What are the pros and cons of each option?

• How would the public view these options?

• What feels right to me as a professional public official?

6.4. What is the most ethical option? – choose a course of action

• Is the decision fair and equitable as outlined in the ethics principles?

• Does it provide a reasonable balance between competing interests and values?

• Is it consistent with relevant legislation, policy and practice?

• Can the decision be justified to Councillors and the public?

• Can the decision be easily explained?• Is it easy to document the key issues and explain the reasons for the decision?

• Do I feel comfortable?

6.5. What changes may need to occur? – follow up

• Is this ethical issue an isolated event or does it represent a wider Council issue?

• Who needs to be advised and how?

• What do I need to do to prevent the situation occurring again?

Terms & Conditions

National AgreementsTo a large degree your terms & conditions of employment are agreed by national negotiating bodies. These are, however, supplemented or amended time to time by a decision of the Council, which has the final responsibility for your terms and conditions of employment.

Access to Personal FilesUnder the terms of the Data Protection Act 1998 employees have the right, upon written request, to be told whether personal data about them is being processed and the purpose for which it is being used.

If an employee wishes to view their file or seeks information on the data held on them, a written request must contain full details of what information is required. A meeting will be arranged with 5 days for the file to be viewed in the HR office.

Payment of SalaryAll salaries are paid monthly by BACS transfer directly into bank / building society accounts. Pay day is 26th of each month, unless the 26th is a weekend / public holiday, in which case payment will be made on the preceding Friday. Each member of staff will receive an e-payslip detailing their salary payments which is available on My View. Those staff members who do not have access will have a written payslip provided to them. December’s salary is normally paid before Christmas Day but the exact date varies depending on which day Christmas falls. Notification will be provided by the Payroll Sevice closer to the date.

Look out for important information on your payslip’s e.g. next paydate.If the Council makes an overpayment to a member of staff to which they are not entitled the Council has the legal right to claim this money back. However in the unlikely event that this occurs individual discussions will take place to confirm the arrangements for repayment.

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Salary Progression and Review

Determination of Salary GradeThe grade of posts will be decided by the Job Evaluation Panel. This panel consists of members of Unison and the management team.

The essential criteria that will influence the choice of grade or other factors affecting placement within the grade include:

the key activities, tasks, duties and responsibilities of the post; qualifications and experience required specialist knowledge, skills and experience required market forces and salary levels of comparable posts;

Promotion will normally be through application for advertised posts. Exceptionally a post may be re-graded. This will be through the completion of a Job Description Questionnaire. Re-gradings may be considered on an annual basis subject to budget provision.

Salary ReviewIncremental increases will be received on the 1st April annually up to the ceiling for the band. All other increases are negotiated annually at a national level and outcomes will be communicated throughout the organisation.

First increment:Employees who join between 1st April and 1st October (inclusive) will receive their first increment the following 1st April.

Employees who join between 2nd October and 31st March (inclusive) will receive their first increment after six months service.

Subsequent increment:After the first increment employees will receive each subsequent increment on 1st April until they reach the top of the grade. In certain cases e.g. career grades, progression through the bands will be barred until certain performance/education attainments are achieved. This will be detailed on your JD and Contract of Employment.

An increment may be withheld following adverse report on an employee (subject to that employee’s rights of appeal to the appropriate Committee of

the employing authority).

Hours of WorkThe standard working week is 37 hours.Normal working hours are:

8.45 am – 5.15 pm – Monday to Thursday

8.45 am – 4.45 pm – FridayThere is a 60 minute lunch break per day.Where it is a requirement of the service area, hours of work may be different or subject to a rota system. Details of these (if applicable) will be found in your written statement of terms and conditions of employment.

OvertimeFor employees eligible for overtime pay all hours worked must be pre-authorised, subject to general authorisations at the Line Managers discretion, e.g. urgent call-outs etc.

The onus of control is on the authorising employee, who should be either service Manager or above, to evaluate carefully all overtime requirements. Such planned overtime must be pre-authorised either on an individual basis or on a number of hours per week or month, subject to general authorisations at the Director’s discretion e.g. urgent call outs etc. which can be identified as reasons for variations on the claim form. Overtime must be recorded on the overtime report form and once authorised is a commitment to pay approved hours worked.

Part-time employees must complete 37 hours (including approved time off) before any premium time is paid.

As soon as possible after working, the actual overtime must be confirmed. This certification must be carried out by an employee who is able to determine that the work was done.

By mutual agreement, time off in lieu of overtime payment may be taken at any time within the band width of 8.00 a.m. - 6.00 p.m. hours, the amount of time off to be shown as a credit on the time sheet. It must be noted that flexi time (time off in lieu) should be equivalent to the actual hours worked and not the enhanced time.

Please refer to electronic overtime form to be completed.

In the case of an employee being required to work

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overtime towards the end of an accounting period and who has already built up the maximum fifteen hours carry over time, a Director has the discretion to allow extra time to be carried forward to the next accounting period.

Work on that outside normal hours will be paid for, as overtime. Extra time of less than half an hour on any day will not rank for overtime. Overtime will be aggregated for each calendar month and only complete half hours paid in may result

Security

Security Door CardsOn appointment new starters will be issued with a security card by the Assets and Projects team. This will allow you access to all FDC Sites and will also act as an ID card.

Security access cards are needed to access Fenland Hall, and The Base. If you lose your security access card, or you think that it has been stolen, please carry out the following actions:

1. Report the missing card to Building Facilities. The card will be deactivated remotely so that it can no longer be used to access FDC buildings. Telephone ext 2475 or email facilitiesmanagement@fenland.gov.uk

2. Obtain a new card from Building Facilities. This will be activated straight away.

3. If your old card appears again, please do not dispose of it. This can be reactivated and used again if your card is lost or stolen in the future. If you lose a card and it is found by a colleague or a member of the public, it will hopefully be returned to HR. HR will then contact you to advise that the card has been returned.

Visitors must book into reception and obtain a visitors badge which is returnable at visit end. The person to whom they are visiting must organise that visitors are collected from and returned to reception.It is important that staff who are expecting a visitor notify main reception in advance so that they can greet visitors in a professional and appropriate way. It is also important to ensure that all visitor badges are returned to reception so that they can be reused in the future.

All members of staff have a responsibility to query anyone on our premises and ask them to account for being on our premises.

GeneralSecurity is the responsibility of all Staff within the Council. Always lock offices. Never leave personal property of any value e.g. calculators, expensive jackets, handbags etc. in an unattended room.

Staff should ensure that rooms are secured after use and that all equipment is accounted for. During summer months please ensure that any windows that may have been opened during the day are closed before you leave the office. Any faults in the fabric or equipment found whilst using a room should be reported to the appropriate person.

VehiclesThe Council accepts no liability for loss or damage to staff vehicles.

Fenland Hall Alarm SystemThe Council has an alarm system at Fenland Hall which staff who intend to be in the building late during the week or at weekends need to be aware of.

Please do not attempt to operate the alarm system without having been trained by a member of Building Facilities staff.

General InformationThe system must be armed and de-activated each day. This operation will be carried out from a central control panel, which has been located adjacent to the rear entrance to the car park next to the Council Chamber.

Activation/de-activation is by means of a key fob placed against a reader. The setting of the alarm must be carried out by the last person to leave the building each day.Procedures Alarm turned off by Building Facilities staff at 6.15am each weekday morning.

External doors locked at 6.15pm each weekday evening except Friday which is 5.45pm – exit after

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this time must be via rear entrance door to the car park next to the Council Chamber.

Cleaners work in the building until 7.30pm each weekday (Monday to Friday) and will activate the alarm at this time unless other members of staff remain in the building.

Any member of staff wishing to work in Fenland Hall after this time (7.30pm)MUST:

1. Obtain approval of Line Manager.

2. Obtain key fob from Building Facilities staff before 5.15pm (Monday to Thursday) and 4.45pm (Friday).

3. Write name on wipe on/wipe off board Situated at the base of the stairs opposite main reception. Cleaners will check board before setting the alarm. If names are on the board, the cleaners will not set the alarm.

When employee wishes to leave he/she MUST wipe name off board and leave via designated exit door. If their name is the last name on the board they must set the alarm by means of the key fob.

Saturday & SundayAny member of staff wishing to work in Fenland Hall at weekendsMUST:

1. Obtain approval of Line Manager.

2. Obtain key fob from Building Facilities staff on Friday.

System will need to be de-activated by staff at weekends.

Staff must therefore enter by rear door adjacent to the Council Chamber.

First member of staff entering the building must de-activate alarm and write name on board.Any other member of staff entering the building must also write names on board.

When employee wishes to leave he/she MUST wipe name off board and leave via designated exit door.

If their name is last on the board, they must set the alarm.

Points to NoteOnce doors are locked, only access will be via designated door.

Issue of key fobs will be strictly controlled and must be returned to Building Facilities staff promptly.

Long-term retention of key fobs will not be permitted except under special circumstances and every issue will be time controlled.

Staff should consider parking of vehicles as they will be required to walk from Queen Street into Station Road and then into County Road to gain access to the front of the building after doors are locked.

The successful operation of this alarm system is dependent on staff participation and responsibility.

ProbationAll newly appointed staff are required to undertake a period of probation. During this period, probationary staff will be given every support and assistance in making the required transition into the Council, the role and the required standards. Staff should have regular meetings with their manager throughout the probation period.

During these meetings you will have the opportunity to discuss your employment with your manager and raise any concerns you may have. Your manager will also be able to raise any areas where performance may not be up to the required standard and put in place any support that may be required to bring this performance up to an acceptable level. It is important that the outcomes of these meetings are documented and that both parties sign up to any actions agreed.

The normal probationary period for all employees is 6 months commencing on the first day of appointment.Details of the Induction/Probation Policy are available on the Intranet or from Human Resources, Fenland Hall.

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Time Away From WorkHolidaysHoliday entitlement will be shown as one figure (including bank holidays and extra statutory days). For the purposes of explanation it is shown separately below.

Annual Leave EntitlementThe leave year is from 1st April to 31st March and the details of your leave entitlement are provided in your written statement of terms and conditions of employment. All holiday entitlement is calculated in hours.

Part-Time employees will receive the leave entitlement on a pro rata basis.

If you join us part way through the holiday year, you will receive your holiday entitlement on a pro-rata basis, based on the number of days remaining in the current leave year. When you have completed five or more years continuous qualifying service, your leave entitlement will be increased by the equivalent of four/five days dependant on band. If this date occurs during the leave year you will receive the additional hours on a pro rata basis based on the number of days remaining in the current leave year.

Christmas Holidays – if employees work a Tuesday to Saturday rota, and if Christmas falls on a Saturday, it is admissible for the individual to work Mon to Friday that week and not use additional leave to have the Saturday off.

All leave must be booked on the My View system.

Statutory HolidaysThere are usually eight statutory holidays each year: New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, May Day, Late Spring Holiday (Monday) and Late Summer Holiday (Monday), Christmas Day and Boxing Day. This are included in the leave calculations on My View and must be booked off in advance.

Extra Statutory HolidaysIn addition to the statutory holidays above, employees will be entitled to two ‘extra statutory’ holidays. Again these are included in the annual leave figure on My View and must be booked in advance.

These ‘extra statutory’ holidays will normally be used, as agreed, to extend the Christmas shutdown. When not required for this purpose, they can be taken at the discretion of the individual employee, subject to the normal management approval for holidays. (N.B. These extra statutory days do not form part of the annual leave entitlement).

Christmas Working ArrangementsThe arrangements for Christmas shutdown are dependent upon which day of the week Christmas Day falls and are as follows in the table below:

(i) Christmas Eve - The offices of the Council will be closed at lunchtime on Christmas Eve.

(ii) Extended shutdown - As part of the Statutory Holiday Allowance, staff will be on leave Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

There are occasions, however, when it is convenient for both staff and the Council to extend the Christmas shutdown by utilising the “extra statutory” holidays and, where appropriate, a concessionary day’s leave.

Sunday (no extra closure)Sun Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat25 26 27 28 29 30 31

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Monday (no extra closure)Sun Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat24 25 26 27 28 29 3031 1 2 3 4 5 6

Tuesday (three extra days closure)two extra statutory days plus concessionary daySun Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat23 24 25 26 27 28 2930 31 1 2 3 4 5

Wednesday (three extra days closure)two extra statutory days plus concessionary daySun Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat22 23 24 25 26 27 2829 30 31 1 2 3 4

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Thursday (one extra days closure)consessionary day

Sun Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat21 22 23 24 25 26 2728 29 30 31 1 2 3

Friday (no extra cosure)Sun Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat20 21 22 23 24 25 2627 28 29 30 31 1 2

Saturday (no extra closure)Sun Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat19 20 21 22 23 24 2526 27 28 29 30 31 12 3 4 5 6 7 8

Bank HolidayExtra Statutory DaysAdditonal Concessionary Days

Carrying over HolidayHoliday may be carried over at the discretion of your line manager as follows:

Up to 37 hours or the equivalent of one working week annual leave can be carried forward from one year to the next, but must be taken by the end of May.

Up to 37 hours or the equivalent of one working week annual leave can be brought forward from the following year, but must be taken between January and March.

Jury ServiceAn employee who receives a summons to serve on a jury must report the fact to their manager who will grant leave of absence (unless an exemption is secured). An employee serving as a juror will claim the allowance for loss of earnings they are entitled to under the Jurors Allowance Regulations currently in force. This Council will deduct from the employees pay an amount equal to the allowance received.If you decide to leave Fenland District Council, and do not transfer to another Local Authority, you will be required to take any outstanding annual leave

during your notice period. You will not receive payment for untaken annual leave except where this has been approved by your manager.

If you do not provide the correct notice for leaving, you will forfeit your right to take outstanding holiday leave, and will therefore not receive any payment in lieu of untaken leave.

Holiday payments and gross misconductIn cases of gross misconduct, the employee will be deemed to have breeched their contract, and outstanding holiday entitlement will be forfeited, and as such, no payment will be made in respect of untaken holiday.

Policies Fenland District Council has a number of policies which govern the employment relationship. As policies need to be updated on a regular basis they are not included in this handbook but are available on the intranet or from the HR/OD team. Below is an outline of the more pertinent policies.

Sickness AbsenceThe Council is committed to the well being of its employees. This is demonstrated by a number of health and welfare facilities such as the provision of contractual paid sickness absence. However, a high level of attendance is vital to effective service delivery. Therefore the Council has developed its sickness absence management policies and procedures based on the following principles:

You need to notify your manager in person on the first day of your absence as soon as possible (on or before your start time). You should notify them of the expected duration of your absence.

You will need to maintain contact with your manager if your absence is likely to last a while, and your manager will contact you during your absence to ensure that both parties are kept updated of any changes.

If you do not follow the correct notification procedure, the Council reserves the right to withhold sick pay.When you return to work, after every absence, you must complete a self-certificate and have a Return to Work discussion with your immediate manager.

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The Line Manager will monitor staff attendance and individual absence rates will be tracked and monitored by using the Bradford Points Score (Your manager will explain this to you in more detail).

If your BPS reaches the agreed trigger point (150), you will be required to attend an informal review with your manager to explore the reasons for your absence, and agree ways to improve your attendance.

If you are absent for more than 4 weeks, your manager will contact you to arrange a home visit, to discuss your welfare, and relevant work news and any other issues that are important to you.

You will also be asked to attend an Occupational Health Appointment.

Medical Appointments.Employees are entitled to expect that all information relating to their sickness will be treated in strict confidence.

Reporting mechanisms are in place to ensure that all Line Managers are aware of their teams absence levels, causes, patterns and trends.

Employees are entitled to fair and equitable treatment on sickness absences. However, their Line Manager is entitled to request the necessary information to ensure that good management practices are based on accurate and factual data. Please be aware that your Line Manager is within his/her rights to challenge any causes for absence.

Each member of staff is expected to attend work when fit to do so and to report any absence in line with the agreed procedure. The sickness absence policy and procedure can be viewed in full on the intranet.

If you are sick whilst on holiday, the sickness absence procedure will apply, and you will therefore be required to contact your manager (or the appointed person) on the first day of your sickness to notify them that you are sick and therefore will not be taking your annual leave.

All such instances will require the provision of a medical certificate from your doctor. Once a medical certificate has been received, your manager will re-credit your annual leave.

• All appointments should be made outside of working hours wherever possible.

• Where an appointment cannot be made outside the employees working hours, the employee must provide proof of the appointment date and time (normally a copy of the appointment letter).

• Employee must take flexi/PAS/holiday time where appropriate; the employee may go into debit as per flexible working policy. However, where an employee is required to attend a cancer screening appointment, special leave will be approved subject to the employee providing evidence of the appointment.

• Only where the above is not possible, and only for treatment, the employee may be permitted to take a period of sickness absence (self certificates to be completed as normal). For purposes of this policy, treatment is defined as the attempted resolution, improvement, monitoring or management of a defined health problem, following a diagnosis.

Maternity LeaveThe procedures on leave, pay and return to work are as shown in the maternity policy document, which is available from Human Resources. If you are pregnant we would advise that you inform your manager as soon as you feel able to do so, ideally in writing. Alternatively you may contact Human Resources.

Human Resources will undertake a one-to-one discussion with you to explain what you are entitled to under the maternity leave policy. You also need to speak to your manager so that they can carry out a ‘New & Expectant Mothers’ risk assessment. This is done to ensure that you are not exposed to any unnecessary risks whilst you are pregnant and to enable any adaptations to be made to your role (if these are required).Paternity LeaveEmployees whose partners are expecting a baby are able to take paternity leave. Entitlement varies according to length of service but can be up to two weeks off work. One week at 90% of full pay and 1 week at the higher rate of Statutory Maternity pay. Employees in this position should contact Human Resources for further information.

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Adoption LeaveThe procedures on adoption leave follow a similar line to those for maternity, although again entitlements can vary depending on length of service and the age of the child being adopted. If you are considering adoption please contact Human Resource who can provide advice on what you maybe entitled to under this policy.

Flexible Working AgreementFenland District Council recognises the need for employees to work flexibly, and is committed to optimising the opportunities to incorporate family friendly and flexible working practices where possible. The Council is committed to widening access to quality services through providing flexible modes of working and service delivery.

The Full policy guidelines are available on the intranet or by contacting a member of the HR/OD team.

Travel and SubsistenceThe Travel and Subsistence Agreement applies to all authorised travel and associated subsistence, conducted on Council business.

TravelAll travel, (other than inter-site travel) that has received prior written approval in accordance with Standing Instructions, will be reimbursed at 2nd class public transport rates or where the use of a private car is necessary for the journey, at the appropriate mileage rate. You will only be able to claim milage in excess of your normal journey to work.

Grievance Policy OutlineThis policy outlines Fenland District Council’s approach to dealing with all grievance issues that may arise. This policy sets out the responsibilities of both Fenland District Council and its employees (permanent/fixed term/casual). All employees may seek redress for grievances relating to their employment.

It is to the mutual benefit of the individual and the Council that any grievance should be settled as quickly as possible. (Disputes about the grading of

a post do not fall within the grievance procedure).The purpose of this policy is to ensure that a fair and consistent approach is applied throughout Fenland District Council in addressing grievances. This policy provides a step-by-step approach for staff and managers, and also outlines the recommended timescales for action to be taken.

Disciplinary Procedure (Conduct)

This policy sets out Fenland District Council’s approach to disciplinary issues.

The purpose of this procedure is to:• Set out how the Council will deal with instances of misconduct, including gross misconduct

• Ensure that managers are clear about what approach they should adopt in cases of misconduct and gross misconduct

• Ensure that employees understand what standards of conduct are expected of them, to encourage employees to meet these standards and to ensure that they understand what action may be taken if they do not meet them

• Support the Employee Code of Conduct The Council has a separate procedure for handling capability issues and these are therefore not dealt with under the Disciplinary Procedure (Conduct).

Disclosure of Public Interest (Whistleblowing)The Council operates a Disclosure of Public Interest policy. Its aim is to ensure that all staff employed by the Council have a process to enable them to bring to light any concerns of discrimination, harassment, malpractice or fraud in the activities of the Council or its employees.

Fenland District Council recognises that you (its staff) are often in the best position to know when the interests of the public are being put at risk. It also recognises that you can act as an early warning system on matters of safety or to help uncover fraud and mismanagement in your workplace. However, you may feel reticent about disclosing such information because of:

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a) feeling disloyal to your colleagues or the Council;

b) fearing reprisals through harassment or victimisation; or

c) being unsure of the best way to proceed.

However, the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 (Whistleblowing) recognises these concerns. It protects staff when making disclosures of information in the public interest from detriment or dismissal. This Act only covers “workers” - who are defined in simple terms as those who work under a contract of employment.

The Council has therefore approved a Whistleblowing Policy to encourage staff to make disclosures without fear of retribution. This procedure note details the operations of the Policy.

For more details, please refer to the Whistleblowing Policy

RetirementAlthough there is no legal retirement date all staff however any staff member thinking about retiring should have a discussion with their line manager and HR.

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Section 6 – Human Resources

HR& OD Team (including Payroll and H&S)All queries in respect of HR/OD issues should be directed to Human Resources located on the first floor at Fenland Hall. Ext 2267 or email hr-atyourservice@fenland.gov.uk

Queries and changes to personal informationAll changes in personal information, for instance, change of address, telephone number should be made via Myview or by Email to Human Resources. Personal Details and changes to bank details should be notified in writing or via E Mail to Human Resources as soon as possible.

Please note that an Email is acceptable for most changes, however new banks details must be in writing and signed by the employee. Change must be received by Payroll Deadline (normally around the 10th of the month) to be effective in the current month.

Data ProtectionNeabeliefs and sexual orientation. It is the council’s duty as the Data Controller to ensure that we comply with the General Data Protection Regulation 2018 and the Data Protection Act 2018. We are required to; have a lawful basis for processing, only use personal data provided to us for the reason it was provided, only collect the minimum amount of personal data necessary to achieve our goals, ensure that the personal data we hold is accurate, ensure we hold personal data no longer than necessary and ensure that we keep personal data secure.

The full policy is available on the Intranet. All departments across the council handle personal data on a day to day basis. Some personal data is more sensitive than others, however all personal data needs to be secure and protected; from names and addresses, to religious

Equality and Diversity The Council has a leading role to play in promoting equal opportunity and valuing diversity - in the

community, as an employer and as a provider of services to the people of Fenland and its visitors.Fenland District Council is committed to:

� Equality of opportunity;

� Tackling discrimination and disadvantage;

� Tackling harassment, victimisation and intimidation;

� Promoting good relations between all of Fenland’s diverse communites;

� Using its position as a large employer, provider of services and its economic power to provide equality of opportunity and for tackling discrimination, harassment, intimidation and disadvantage;

� Making its workforce more representative of the diverse community that make up Fenland;

� Doing what it can to encourage other organisations, partners, service providers, the private and voluntary sectors, to adopt similar policies on equality and diversity;

� Promoting the participation of all the diverse community in the life of the District so that they can benefit from the District’s prosperity and success.

Fenland District Council will not tolerate less favourable treatment on the grounds of gender, age, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, disability, sexual orientation, or any other reason which cannot be shown to be justified.

What we will doThe Council recognises and is committed to meeting its duties under equality legislation:

We are committed to improving equality practice throughout the District, and will ensure adequate resources available to do this.

We will ensure that all employees and customers are treated fairly and consistently, without discrimination.We will take action to combat discrimination in all areas of employment and service delivery on grounds

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of race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, age, religion or belief, or on any other ground, which cannot be justified.

We will identify those groups within the community whose needs are not adequately being met by Council services and take action to change our services to meet those needs.We will consult with all users and/ or potential users of our services to seek their views and opinions in relation to equality and diversity issues.We will monitor all areas of employment including, recruitment, training opportunities and take-up, pay, grievances and disciplinary action, to ensure equal treatment for all employees and action will be taken where unequal treatment is found.

We will produce an equality action plan covering all services of the Council to ensure that everyone has access to information about our services, how to access them and service delivery.

We will ensure that equality objectives and targets are regularly set, monitored and reviewed across all areas of our work

HarassmentEmployees are required to behave in a non-descriminatory and non-sexist way towards colleagues, students and visitors. The Council recognises that harassment adversely affects individuals working lives and is committed to the operation of a harassment policy to strive to eliminate any such behaviour.

Harassment can be defined as one person behaving towards another to cause annoyance or offence. It can also be group behaviour. Typical examples include: embarrassing remarks, jokes, insults, ridicule, comments about appearance, facial or other physical expressions.

The Council does not want employees to suffer such distress and therefore treats harassment as misconduct to be dealt with under the disciplinary procedure.

Wherever possible the employee should ask the harasser to stop and make it clear that the behaviour is unwelcome.

In circumstances where it is too difficult or embarrassing for the individual to do this on his/her behalf, the initial approach may be by a trade union representative, colleague, or close relative.If an approach to the harasser is not possible or does not result in the harassment ceasing, the matter can be reported to the complainant’s Line Manager, or if the complainant feels unable to approach their Line Manager, they may contact a member of Human Resources.

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Section 7 - How the Council helps in emergencies

Emergencies can be a result of natural disaster such as storms, flooding or man-made events such as train crashes, industrial accidents or acts of terrorism.

How does Fenland District Council help during an emergency?Following an emergency, the Council will support the Emergency Services whilst maintaining existing services it provides to the community. As the emergency develops and moves towards the recovery stage, the Emergency Services will hand over control to the Council. They will then take on the leading role in supporting the community and the environment to get back to normal.

The Council can also provide assistance and resources in the form of Emergency Rest, Survivor and Friend & Relatives Reception Centres. They can also provide support the community by offering welfare and council ling help lines, emergency feeding, cleaning and specialist services and well as Environmental Health guidance.

Preparing for emergencies Emergency Planning is the process where the Council prepares for emergencies which could affect the District at any time. To provide an efficient and effective response, the Council has emergency plans and arrangements in place which allow senior officers to initiate, control and co-ordinate the response to a major emergency. As part of this, the Council runs an Emergency Duty Officer system 365 days a year. This ensures that senior officers are available on a 24-hour basis to respond to calls for assistance by the Emergency Services. If required, these officers will begin the Council’s emergency response procedures and set up an emergency headquarters.

The Council has its own Emergency Management Plan, which is continually reviewed and updated. The Plan considers a variety of potential emergencies and hazards and how the Council’s Emergency Management Team would best respond. This ensures that immediate support and resources are provided to reduce the impact of the major emergency on

people, property and the environment. Emergency Planning is also undertaken in partnership with the Emergency Services and other agencies involved in responding to emergencies - this makes sure that resources are used in the most effective way possible

Can you volunteer?The types of emergency roles available include helping to run an emergency rest centre where people are temporarily evacuated to from their homes during an incident at short notice. We provide them with shelter, food/drinks and information relating to the emergency.

Other roles include staffing our emergency operations centre where information relating to the emergency is processed and acted on. This involves answering telephones, recording messages and logging information.

The majority of Council roles in relation to emergencies are on a volunteer basis, if you would like to help to the community during such incidents then please let us know by informing your line manager or contacting the Health, Safety and Emergency Planning Manager directly. Staff are paid for any overtime or expenses incurred.

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Section 8 – Learning and Development

OverviewAs a Council we recognise the importance of providing training, development and learning opportunities to improve both individual and Council performance.

Fenland District Council is committed to the ongoing upskilling all staff. We believe that encouraging all staff to pursue additional training and qualifications helps them to realise their potential and creates a more efficient workforce.

In the challenging local government environment the Council acknowledges that its staff must be developed to respond proactively. There are many support systems in place and all details can be obtained from the HR Team.

As part of our commitment to our staff, your individual learning needs discussed at your annual Springboard. Learning will be provided to allow staff to develop their potential to help the Council meet its objectives.

Full details of the Learning Activities and the Learning and Development Framework are located on the Intranet under Human Resources; Learning and Development.

If you have any comments or suggestions on how we can improve the learning plan, please speak to either your manager or the Human Resources team.In addition to identifying corporate training needs, based on the key priorities outlined in the Business Plan and in the Service Plans, the Management Team is responsible for matching training to the ever changing external environment as it impacts on local government. This will include responding to new legislation, reviewing budgets, changing social factors and the continually growing expectations of local government. These plans will be reviewed at regular intervals.

Service PlansIn establishing the Service Plans to meet the targets outlined in the Fenland Business Plan, each Senior Manager is responsible for identifying the team skills and training needs required to achieve the Service

Plan. These will be incorporated into the Service Team Learning Plan as part of the Springboard process, and they will be reviewed annually.

Springboard A Springboard meeting is an annual appraisal meeting between a member of staff and their manager which focuses on the bigger picture, career aspirations and provides and opportunity for taking stock. The Springboard discussion should motivate, inspire and develop an individual in order to enhance future performance. All springboard template documents are available on the intranet.

Training and Career DevelopmentThe Council prides itself on the support it gives to all its staff for training and career development. This commitment is recognised by our accreditation to Investors in People.

An extensive programme of in-house workshops and blended learning opportunities on a wide variety of topics is arranged for staff during the year and all staff are encouraged to attend these workshops as required on team or individual learning plans.

We are always open to new ideas and topics that would help support staff further, please discuss any ideas that you have with your manager or the Human Resources Team.

Training EvaluationAll training and development activities should be evaluated to ensure that we continue to offer relevant and meaningful training. Information collected during the evaluation process is used to ensure that new skills and learning are offered within the workplace and to progress the development of all staff.

Ongoing Organisational LearningThe Council recognises the contribution that training and development makes to the continuing efficiency and quality of the services it provides. A planned and effective training and development activity maintains and enhances the skills of existing staff, facilitates the ease of entry for new staff, and allows planning for the future needs of the Council.

The Council may also give financial assistance and/or time off from work for employees to study for a

recognised qualification. Where the value of such training can be justified the Corporate Management Team will seek to support this type of training for existing staff if resources are available.

Managers and employees should consider all options in order that the most appropriate method of learning can be pursued to suit the employee’s preferred learning style and to fit in with work and domestic commitments.

Further details can be found in the funded training policy which is available on the intranet.

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Notes

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Notes

Fenland District Council • Fenland Hall • County Road • MarchCambridgeshire • PE15 8NQ