BRETBY PARISH COUNCIL  

 BUSINESS CONTINUITY PLAN  

Introduction  

The Civil Contingencies Act 2004 places a duty on a local authority to ensure that it is prepared as far as reasonably practical to continue to provide important functions and services in the event of a disruption.    

Whilst this is not a statutory duty for a parish council it is Bretby Parish Council’s (“BPC”) intention to recognise the importance of producing and maintaining a Business Continuity Plan for implementation in the event of disruptions to the day to day running of BPC.  

The plan identifies the instances of disruption, the immediate responses, the procedures to follow to maintain continuity of service and the follow-up procedures and necessary changes to service delivery, where such services are disrupted by factors within LPCs area of responsibility.  

Core Business of Bretby Parish Council  

The parish council provides local services to its electorate which includes the provision of:  

Noticeboards, litter bins and dog waste bins  

Website and maintaining a presence on relevant social media sites  

Managing the finances of BPC and using the precept for the benefit of the parish  

Acting as a consultee on Planning applications to represent the interests of the parish  

Liaising with the District Council and the County Council, or other relevant parties on issues that affect the parish  

Potential causes of disruption include:  

1. Disasters and weather related problems, including:  

• fire  

• storms  

• flood  

• snow  

• actions by other parties  

• terrorism  

2. Vandalism or damage to BPC property  

3. Failures  

• equipment due to failure, breakage or theft  

• utilities and infrastructure providers  

• public services  

4. Losses of  

• staff and councillors through death, illness, injury or resignation whilst on or off BPC duties, which in the case of councillors may leave the parish council inquorate.  

• equipment through theft breakage or major damage  

• BC records through theft, fire or corruption of files  

RISK MANAGEMENT PLAN  

The Clerk is the first point of contact for all emergencies and business continuity actions, or in their absence the Chairman or in the absence of the Chairman the Vice-Chairman or a member of the Parish Council nominated by the Chairman or Vice-Chairman shall implement the actions,  

Review of plan  

The Business Continuity Plan will be reviewed on an annual basis by Full Council and a copy given to all parish councillors.  

BRETBY PARISH COUNCIL INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY POLICY

Introduction   2

Purpose of the IT Policy   2

Monitoring of IT Use   3

Scope of this policy   3

Computer use   3

Equipment   4

Health and safety   8

Password and Authentication Policy   8

Monitoring   9

Remote working   10

Email   11

Use of the Internet   12

Use of social media   13

Misuse   16

Purpose of the IT Policy

The purpose of an IT policy is to establish clear parameters for how councillors, staff, and other authorised users use council-provided technology or equipment in the course of their duties. A well-defined policy helps to:

• Set expectations for appropriate use of equipment and systems;
• Raise awareness of risks associated with IT use;
• Safeguard the council’s data and digital assets;
• Clarify what constitutes acceptable and unacceptable use;
• Outline the consequences of policy breaches.

Monitoring of IT Use

As an IT provider, the council has the right to monitor the use of its IT equipment and systems, provided there is a legitimate reason for doing so and councillors, employees and other authorised users are informed that such monitoring may take place. Any monitoring must be proportionate and comply with relevant data protection and privacy laws. Other persons may be included if they access or use council systems e.g. if they have a council e-mail address

Scope of this policy

This policy applies to all councillors, staff, and other authorised users, regardless of their working location or pattern, including those who are home-based, office-based, or work on a flexible or part-time basis. It sets out the expectations for the appropriate use of IT equipment and systems provided by the council.

1      Computer use 
Hardware 

1. Council computer equipment is provided for council purposes, however reasonable personal use is permitted (reasonable interpreted as in the opinion of the council). Any personal use of our computers and systems should not interrupt our daily council work. Councillors, staff, and other authorised users are asked to restrict any personal use to periods that will not unduly disrupt other users. 

1. Locking computers when leaving desk, all councillors, staff, and other authorised users must lock their computers when leaving their desks to prevent unauthorised access. This applies to all council and personal devices used for work. Failure to comply may lead to disciplinary action.

1. All computer and other electronic equipment supplied should be treated with good care at all times. Computer equipment is expensive, and any damage sustained to any equipment will have a financial impact on the council. 

1. Computer and electronic hardware should be kept clean, and every precaution taken to prevent food and drink being dropped or spilled onto it. 

1. All computer and mobile equipment will carry a number which is logged against the current owner of that equipment. A database of equipment issued will be kept. 

1. Equipment should not be dismantled or reassembled without seeking advice. 

1. Councillors, staff, and other authorised are not to purchase any computer or mobile equipment (including software) unless previously authorised.

1. Personal disks, USB stick, CDs, DVDs, data storage devices etc cannot be used on council computers without the prior approval. 

2      Equipment

2.1  Portable equipment 

• Portable equipment includes laptop computers, netbooks, tablets, mobile and smart phones with email capability and access to the internet etc. 

• It is particularly emphasised that council back-up procedures specific to portable equipment should be followed at all times. 

• All portable computers must be stored safely and securely when not in use in the office, i.e. when travelling or when working from home. Portable equipment (unless locked in a secure cabinet or office) should be kept with or near the user at all times; should not be left unattended when away from council premises and should never be left in parked vehicles or at any council or non-council premises.

• It is important to ensure all portable devices are protected with encryption in case they are lost or stolen. All smartphones or tablets that hold council data, including emails and files, must be protected with a pin code. Where possible, these devices should also be programmed to erase all content after several unsuccessful attempts to break in. Any security set on these devices must not be disenabled or removed.

• [Optional] Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is a security process that requires users to verify their identity using two or more independent methods—for example, entering a password (something you know) and confirming a code sent to your mobile device (something you have). This significantly reduces the risk of unauthorised access to systems and sensitive data. NALC recommends implementing MFA as a best practice to enhance information security and support compliance with data protection obligations under the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

• If an item of portable equipment is lost or damaged this should be reported to the clerk. If the loss or damage is due to an act of negligence, the individual responsible may be liable to meet a portion of the loss/damage. 

• To protect confidential information, unless it is a requirement of the job and this has been authorised, it is forbidden for photographs or videos to be taken on council premises, without the prior written permission of the council. This includes mobile telephones with camera function, camcorder, tape or other recording device for sound or pictures – moving or still. 

• Under no circumstances should any non public meeting or conversation be recorded without the permission of those present. This does not affect statutory rights (under The Openness of Local Government Regulations 2014).

• In addition, the council does not permit webcams (which may be pre-installed on many laptops) to be used in the workplace, other than for conference calls for council purposes. If there is any doubt as to whether a device falls under this clause, advice should be sought from the clerk.

2.2  Use of own devices 

• The Council recognises that some councillors, staff, and other authorised users may wish to use their own smartphones, tablets, laptops etc to access our servers, private clouds or networks for normal council purposes, including, but not limited to, reading their emails, accessing documents stored on the council’s network or to store data on the council’s server(s) or access data in other services. Any such use of personal devices will be at the discretion of the council, but consent for standard systems (MS Windows, Mac OS X, Linux – in commercial configurations) will normally be permitted. Such devices should be kept up to date so that any vulnerabilities in the operating system or other software on the device are appropriately patched or updated. 

• However, the same security precautions apply to personal devices as to the council’s desktop equipment. For continuity purposes communications with other parties shall include council managed communication services in the communication (for example Councillor emails using external systems shall be copied to the Clerk, or forwarded to the Clerk after the fact for retention). 

• Councillors, staff, and other authorised persons that use council systems are expected to use all devices in an ethical and respectful manner and in accordance with this policy. Accessing inappropriate websites or services on any device via the IT infrastructure that is paid for or provided by the council carries a high degree of risk, and, for employees, may result in disciplinary action, including summary dismissal (without notice). For Workers or Contractors, we may terminate the worker agreement. This is irrespective of the ownership of the device used. An example would be downloading copyright music illegally or accessing pornographic material. 

• In cases of legal proceedings against the council or external stakeholders, the council may need to temporarily take possession of a device, whether council-owned or personal to retrieve the relevant data.

• Wherever possible the user should maintain a clear separation between the personal data processed on the council’s behalf and that processed for their own personal use, for example, by using different apps for council and personal use. If the device supports both work and personal profiles, the work profile should be used for work-related purposes.  

• Councillors, staff, and other authorised users who intend to use their own devices via the council’s infrastructure must ensure that they:
  
  
• use a 6-digit pin, strong password  or biometric to protect their device(s) from being accessed. For smartphones and tablets this should lock the device after a number of failed login attempts;
• configure their device(s) to automatically prompt for a password after a period of inactivity of more than 15 minutes;
• always password protect any documents containing confidential information that are sent as attachments to an email, and notify the password separately (preferably by a means other than email);
• for smartphones and tablets, activate the automatic device wipe function (where available). Note that use of the remote wipe function may also involve the removal of the individual’s personal data. Councillors, staff, and other authorised users are therefore advised to keep personal data separate from council data where possible;
• ensure secure WiFi networks are used;
• ensure that work-related data cannot be viewed or retrieved by family or friends who may use the device;
• inform the council or the clerk if their device(s) is/are lost, stolen, or inappropriately accessed where there is risk of access to council data or resources. To prevent phones being used, they will need to retain the details of their IMEI number and the SIM number of the device as their provider will require this to deactivate it.
  • Personal or sensitive data relating to councillors, staff, and other authorised users, associates, residents, external stakeholders should not be saved to any personal accounts (e.g. gmail/outlook etc) as this may breach data protection legislation or create a security risk if the device is lost or stolen. This applies especially if the passwords used to store/access data are saved onto the device, or if the service permits councillors, staff, and other authorised users to remain logged in between sessions. 

• Personal information and sensitive data should never be saved on councillors, staff, or other authorised users own devices as this may breach confidentiality agreements, especially if the device is used by other people from time to time. 

• If removable media are used to transfer data (e.g. USB drives or CDs), the user must also securely delete the data on the media once the transfer is complete. 

• Councillors, staff, and other authorised users who open any attachments should ensure that any cached copies are deleted immediately after use. Assistance or training in doing this (if needed) can be provided. Additional risks include data belonging to the council being accessed by unauthorised persons if the device(s) is lost, stolen, or used without the owner’s permission.

• Prior to the disposal of any device that has work data stored on it, and in the event of a user leaving the council, councillors, staff, and other authorised users are required to allow the IT provider access to the device to ensure that all passwords, user access shortcuts and any identifiable data are removed from the device. 

• Councillors, staff, and other authorised users must take responsibility for understanding how their device(s) work in respect to the above rules if they are accessing council servers/services via their own IT equipment. Risks to the user’s personal device(s) include data loss as a result of a crash of the operating system, bugs and viruses, software or hardware failures and programming errors rendering a device inoperable. The council will use reasonable endeavours to assist, but councillors, staff, and other authorised users are personally liable for their own device(s) and for any costs incurred as a result of the above. 

3         Health and safety 

• Councillors, staff, and other authorised users who work in council offices will be provided with an appropriate workstation. 

• The council has a duty to ensure that regular appropriate eye tests, carried out by a competent person, are offered to employees using display screen equipment. Further details are set out in the council’s health and safety policy.  

• Any VDU user who feels that their workstation requires changes to make it compliant must speak to the clerk. 

If any hazards are detected at a workstation, including ‘noises’ from the IT equipment, this should be reported immediately to the clerk. 

4         Password and Authentication Policy

• User Accounts

All user accounts must be protected by strong, secure passwords. The council follows the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) recommendations for creating passwords using three random words (e.g. PurpleCandleRiver). This method helps create passwords that are both strong and easy to remember, while offering effective protection against common cyber threats such as brute-force attacks. This approach is endorsed in NALC guidance.

In addition to strong passwords, Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) should be enabled wherever possible. MFA requires users to provide two or more independent forms of verification—for example, a password (something you know) and a code sent to your phone (something you have). This significantly reduces the risk of unauthorised access to systems and personal data.

To further strengthen account security:

• Initial user account passwords must be generated by the IT provider.
• Default passwords provided by vendors or the IT provider must be changed immediately upon installation or setup.
• Service or System (e.g. Website) account passwords are generated and managed by the IT provider.
• The council recommends these practices as part of its commitment to robust information security and to support compliance with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

For more guidance, see the NCSC’s advice on password security: NCSC Password Guidance

• Access to Passwords
• Passwords are personal and must not be shared under any circumstances.
• Only the assigned user of an account may access or use the associated password.
• In exceptional cases (e.g., incident response or employee offboarding), access to system credentials may be granted to authorised personnel from the IT provider with appropriate approvals and logging.
• Administrative credentials must be stored securely and only accessible to authorised personnel with a copy provided to the chair of council, in a sealed envelope, only to be accessed in an emergency.
  • Password Storage and Management
• Passwords must not be stored in plain text or written down in insecure locations.
• Passwords must be stored using a council-approved, encrypted password manager (e.g., Edge Password Manager, LastPass, Bitwarden, or KeePass).
  • Password Change Requirements
• Immediately change password if compromise is suspected.
  • Password Access Control and Logging
• All access to administrative or shared credentials must be logged and auditable.
• Attempts to access unauthorized passwords will be treated as a security incident.
  • Responsibility
• Users are responsible for creating and maintaining secure passwords for their accounts.

The IT security provider is responsible for:

• Managing system/service credentials.
• Enforcing password policies. Auditing and monitoring password-related security practices.

5         Monitoring

• The council reserves the right to monitor and maintain logs of computer usage and inspect any files stored on its network, servers, computers, or associated technology to ensure compliance with this policy as well as relevant legislation. Internet, email, and computer usage is continually monitored as part of the council’s protection against computer viruses, ongoing maintenance of the system, and when investigating faults. 

• The council may monitor the use of electronic communications and use of the internet in line with the Investigatory Powers (Interception by Councils etc for Monitoring and Record-keeping Purposes) Regulations 2018.

• Monitoring of an employee’s email and/or internet use will be conducted in accordance with an impact assessment that the council has carried out to ensure that monitoring is necessary and proportionate. Monitoring is in the council’s legitimate interests and is to ensure that this policy is being complied with.

• The information obtained through monitoring may be shared internally, including with relevant councillors and IT staff if access to the data is necessary for performance of their roles. The information may also be shared with external HR or legal advisers for the purposes of seeking professional advice. Any external advisers will have appropriate data protection policies and protocols in place.

• The information gathered through monitoring will be retained only long enough for any breach of this policy to come to light and for any investigation to be conducted. 

• Councillors, staff, and other authorised users have a number of rights in relation to their data, including the right to make a subject access request and the right to have data rectified or erased in some circumstances. You can find further details of these rights and how to exercise them in the council’s data protection policy. 

• Such monitoring and the retrieval of the content of any messages may be for the purposes of checking whether the use of the system is legitimate, to find lost messages or to retrieve messages lost due to computer failure, to assist in the investigation of wrongful acts, or to comply with any legal obligation.

• The council reserves the right to inspect all files stored on its computer systems in order to assure compliance with this policy. The council also reserves the right to monitor the types of sites being accessed and the extent and frequency of use of the internet at any time, both inside and outside of working hours to ensure that the system is not being abused and to protect the council from potential damage or disrepute.  

• Any use that the council considers to be ‘improper’, either in terms of the content or the amount of time spent on this, may result in disciplinary proceedings. 

• All computers must be periodically checked and scanned for unauthorised programmes and viruses. 

6         Remote working 

• Increased IT security measures apply to those who work away from their normal place of work (e.g. whilst travelling, working from home or any other different venue), as follows: 
• if logging into the council’s systems or services remotely, using computers that either do not belong to the council or are not owned by the user, any passwords must not be saved, and the user must log out at the end of the session deleting all logs and history records within the browser used. If the configuration of the devise does not clearly support these actions (for example at an internet café), council services should not be accessed from that device;
• the location and direction of the screen should be checked to ensure confidential information is out of view. Steps should be taken to avoid messages being read by other people, including other travellers on public transport etc;
• any data printed should be collected and stored securely;
• all electronic files should be password protected and the data saved to the council’s system/services when accessible;
• papers, files or computer equipment must not be left unattended at a non council premises unless arrangements have been made with a responsible person at a non council premises for them to be kept in a locked room or cabinet if they are to be left unattended for extended periods;
• any data should be kept safely and should only be disposed of securely;
• papers, files, data sticks/storage, flash drive or backup hard drives should not be left unattended in cars, except where it is entirely unavoidable for short periods, in which case they must be locked in the boot of the car. If staying away overnight, council data should be taken into the accommodation, care being taken that it will not be interfered with by others or inadvertently destroyed;
• where possible the ability to remotely wipe any mobile devices that process sensitive information should be retained in the case of loss or theft;
• Councillors, staff, and other authorised users who work away from the office with sensitive data should be equipped with a screen privacy filter for mobile devices and should use this at all times when accessing such data away from the office.
  
  
  • Those issued with a ‘dongle’ to enable internet access from a laptop via 3G or 4G networks whilst away from their normal workplace should note that the cost of internet access can be very high. Dongles should therefore be used for essential council purposes only, especially if abroad. 

• Similarly, use of paid for Wi-Fi access, for example at airports should be carefully monitored and restricted to essential council use. 

7         Email

• Council email facilities are intended to promote effective and speedy communication on work-related matters. Although we encourage the use of email, it can be risky. Councillors, staff, and other authorised users need to be careful not to introduce viruses onto council systems and should take proper account of the security advice below. 

• On occasion, it will be quicker to action an issue by telephone or face to face, rather than via protracted email chains. Emails should not be used as a substitute for face to face or telephone conversations. Councillors, staff, and other authorised users are expected to decide which is the optimum channel of communication to complete their tasks quickly and effectively. 

• These rules are designed to minimise the legal risks run when using email at work and to guide councillors, staff, and other authorised users as to what may and may not be done. If there is something which is not covered in the policy, councillors, staff, and other authorised users should ask, rather than assuming they know the right answer. 

• All staff, and other authorised users who need to use email as part of their role will normally be given their own council email address and account. The council may, at any time, withdraw email access, should it feel that this is no longer necessary for the role or that the system is being abused. 

Email messages sent on the council’s account should be for council use only. Personal communications are permitted provided they do not encroach upon working time or interrupt council business in any way. Employees and other authorised users are asked to restrict their personal use to periods that will not unduly disrupt other users, and to use their personal email accounts, rather than council addresses.

8         Use of the Internet 

8.1           Copyright  

• Much of what appears on the Internet is protected by copyright. Any copying without permission, including electronic copying, is illegal and therefore prohibited. The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 set out the rules. The copyright laws not only apply to documents but also to software. The infringement of the copyright of another person or organisation could lead to legal action being taken against the council and damages being awarded, as well as disciplinary action, including dismissal, being taken against the perpetrator.

•  
• • •  
    • It is easy to copy electronically, but this does not make it any less an offence. The council’s policy is to comply with copyright laws, and not to bend the rules in any way.

• Councillors, staff, and other authorised users should not assume that because a document or file is on the Internet, it can be freely copied. There is a difference between information in the ‘public domain’ (which is no longer confidential or secret information but is still copyright protected) and information which is not protected by copyright (such as where the author has been dead for more than 70 years). 

• Usually, a website will contain copyright conditions; these warnings should be read before downloading or copying. 

• Copyright and database right law can be complicated. Councillors, staff, and other authorised users should check with the clerk if unsure about anything. 

8.2           Trademarks, links and data protection 

• The council does not permit the registration of any new domain names or trademarks relating to the council’s names or products anywhere in the world, unless authorised to do so. Nor should they add links from any of the council’s web pages to any other external sites without checking first with the council or the clerk.

• Special rules apply to the processing of personal and sensitive personal data. For further guidance on this, see the council’s data protection policy. 

8.3           Accuracy of information 

• One of the main benefits of the internet is the access it gives to large amounts of information, which is often more up to date than traditional sources such as libraries. Be aware that, as the internet is uncontrolled, much of the information may be less accurate than it appears.

9         Use of social media 

• Social media includes blogs; Wikipedia and other similar sites where text can be posted; multimedia or user generated media sites (YouTube); social networking sites (such as Facebook, LinkedIn, X (formerly known as Twitter), Instagram, TikTok, etc.); virtual worlds (Second Life); text messaging and mobile device communications and more traditional forms of media such as TV and newspapers. Care should be taken when using social media at any time, either using council systems or at home. 

• Personal use of social networking/media and chat sites should be restricted to breaks during working hours, or after hours with permission.

• The council recognises the importance of councillors, staff, and other authorised users joining in and helping to shape sector conversation and enhancing its image through blogging and interaction in social media. Therefore, where it is relevant to use social networking sites as part of the individual’s position, this is acceptable.
  However, inappropriate comments and postings can adversely affect the reputation of the council, even if it is not directly referenced. If comments or photographs could reasonably be interpreted as being associated with the council, or if remarks about external stakeholders  could be regarded as abusive, humiliating, sexual harassment, discriminatory or derogatory, or could constitute bullying or harassment, the council will treat this as a serious disciplinary offence. Councillors, staff, and other authorised users should be aware that parishioners or other local organisations may read councillors, staff, and other authorised users’ personal weblogs, to acquire information, for example, about their work, internal council business, and employee morale. Therefore, even if the council is not named, care should be taken with any views expressed.

• To protect both the council and its interests, everyone is required to comply with the following rules about social media, whether in relation to their council role or personal social networking sites, and irrespective of whether this is during or after working hours: 
• Contacts from any of the council’s databases should not be downloaded and connected with on LinkedIn or other social networking sites with electronic address book facilities, unless this has been authorised. 
• Any blog that mentions the council, its current work, councillors, employees, other users associated with the council, partner organisations, local groups, suppliers, parishioners, should identify the author as one of its councillors or employees and state that the views expressed on the blog or website are theirs alone and do not represent the views of the council. Even if the council is not mentioned, care should be taken with any views expressed on social media sites and any views should clearly be stated to be the writer’s own (e.g. via a disclaimer statement such as: “The comments and other content on this site are my own and do not represent the positions or opinions of my employer/ the council.”) Writers must not claim or give the impression that they are speaking on behalf of the council. 
• Any employee who is developing a site or writing a blog that will mention the council, must inform the council that they are writing this and gain agreement before going ‘live’. 
• The council expects councillors, staff, and other authorised users to be respectful about the council and its current or potential staff, including employees, councillors, clerks, and authorised users and not to engage in any name calling or any behaviour that will reflect negatively on its reputation. Any unauthorised use of copyright materials, any unfounded or derogatory statements, or any misrepresentation is not viewed favourably and could constitute gross misconduct. 
• Photos or videos that include employees or other workers wearing uniforms or clothing displaying the council’s name or logo should not be posted on social media if they could reflect negatively on the individual, their role, their colleagues, or the council. Additionally, photos, videos, or audio recordings must not be taken on council premises without explicit permission
• Comments posted by councillors, staff, and other authorised users on any sites should be knowledgeable, accurate and professional and should not compromise the council in any way. 
• Inappropriate conversations with external stakeholders should not take place on any social networking sites, including forums. 
• Any writing about or displaying photos or videos of internal activities that involves current councillors, staff, and other authorised persons, might be considered a breach of data protection and a breach of privacy and confidentiality. Therefore, their permission should be gained prior to uploading any such material. Details of any kind relating to any events, conversations, materials or documents that are meant to be private, confidential or internal to the council should not be posted. This may include manuals; procedures; training documents; non-public financial or operational information; personal information regarding other councillors, staff, and other authorised users anything to do with a disciplinary case, grievance, allegation of bullying/harassment or discrimination, or legal issue; any other secret, confidential, or proprietary information or information that is subject to confidentiality agreements. This does not affect statutory requirements to publish information including under the Freedom of Information Act.
• Councillors, staff, and other authorised users must be aware that they are personally liable for anything that they write or present online (including on an online forum or blog, post, feed or website). Councillors should always be mindful of the Members Code of Conduct and Nolan Principles. Employees may be subject to disciplinary action for comments, content, or images that are defamatory, embarrassing, pornographic, proprietary, harassing, libellous, or that can create a hostile work environment. They may also be sued by other organisations, and any individual or council that views their comments, content, or images as defamatory, pornographic, proprietary, harassing, libellous or creating a hostile work environment. In addition, other councillors, staff, and other authorised users can raise grievances for alleged bullying and/or harassment. 
• Postings to websites or anywhere on the internet and social media of any kind, or in any press or media of any kind, should not breach copyright or other law or disclose confidential information, defame or make derogatory comments about the council or its councillors, staff, and other authorised users, or disclose personal data or information about any individual that could breach data protection legislation. 
• Contacts by the media relating to the council, should be referred to the clerk. 
• Councillors, staff, and other authorised users who use sites such as LinkedIn and Facebook must ensure that the information on their profile is accurate and up to date and must update their profile on leaving the council.
• Councillors, staff, and other authorised users who use X.com, LinkedIn, or other social media/networking sites for council development purposes must ensure they provide the council with login details, including password(s), so that these sites can be accessed and updated in their absence. 
• Councillors, staff, and other authorised users who have left the council must not post any inappropriate comments about the council or its councillors, staff, and other authorised users on LinkedIn, Facebook, X.com or any other social media/networking sites. 
• During your employment/ involvement with the council, you may create or obtain access to a variety of professional contacts and confidential information. This includes, but is not limited to, contacts made through professional networking platforms such as LinkedIn, where those contacts have been established or maintained in your capacity as a councillor, member of staff, or other authorised user. All such contacts will be considered council property and may be subject to disclosure upon request.

• Note that the council may, from time to time, monitor external postings on social media sites. Any employee who has a profile (for example on LinkedIn or Facebook) must not misrepresent themselves or their role with the council. Councillors, staff, and other authorised users are also advised that social media sites are not an appropriate place to air council concerns or complaints: these should be raised with the council or formally through the grievance procedure.

• It is important to note that contact details and information remain the property of the council. In addition, councillors, staff, and other authorised users leaving the council will be required to delete all council-related data including contact details from any personal device/equipment. 

10      Misuse

Misuse of IT systems and equipment is not in line with the council’s standards of conduct and will be taken seriously. Any inappropriate or unauthorised use may lead to formal action, including disciplinary proceedings or, in serious cases, dismissal.

Local Government Association   

Model Councillor Code of Conduct 2020   

Joint statement   

The role of councillor across all tiers of local government is a vital part of our country’s system of democracy. It is important that as councillors we can be held accountable, and all adopt the behaviours and responsibilities associated with the role. Our conduct as an individual councillor affects the reputation of all councillors. We want the role of councillor to be one that people aspire to. We also want individuals from a range of backgrounds and circumstances to be putting themselves forward to become councillors.   

As councillors, we represent local residents, work to develop better services and deliver local change. The public have high expectations of us and entrust us to represent our local area, taking decisions fairly, openly, and transparently. We have both an individual and collective responsibility to meet these expectations by maintaining high standards and demonstrating good conduct, and by challenging behaviour which falls below expectations.   

Importantly, we should be able to undertake our role as a councillor without being intimidated, abused, bullied, or threatened by anyone, including the general public.   

This Code has been designed to protect our democratic role, encourage good conduct, and safeguard the public’s trust in local government.  

Introduction   

The Local Government Association (LGA) has developed this Model Councillor Code of Conduct, in association with key partners and after extensive consultation with the sector, as part of its work on supporting all tiers of local government to continue to aspire to high standards of leadership and performance. It is a template for councils to adopt in whole and/or with local amendments.   

All councils are required to have a local Councillor Code of Conduct.   

The LGA will undertake an annual review of this Code to ensure it continues to be fit- for purpose, incorporating advances in technology, social media, and changes in legislation. The LGA can also offer support, training and mediation to councils and councillors on the application of the Code and the National Association of Local Councils (NALC) and the county associations of local councils can offer advice and support to town and parish councils.   

Definitions   

For the purposes of this Code of Conduct, a “councillor” means a member or co-opted member of a local authority or a directly elected mayor. A “co-opted member” is defined in the Localism Act 2011 Section 27(4) as “a person who is not a member of the authority but who:   

1. is a member of any committee or sub-committee of the authority, or;   

2. is a member of, and represents the authority on, any joint committee or joint subcommittee of the authority;   

and who is entitled to vote on any question that falls to be decided at any meeting of that  

committee or sub-committee”.   

For the purposes of this Code of Conduct, “local authority” includes county councils, district councils, London borough councils, parish councils, town councils, fire and rescue authorities, police authorities, joint authorities, economic prosperity boards, combined authorities, and National Park authorities.   

Purpose of the Code of Conduct   

The purpose of this Code of Conduct is to assist you, as a councillor, in modelling the behaviour that is expected of you, to provide a personal check and balance, and to set out the type of conduct that could lead to action being taken against you. It is also to protect you, the public, fellow councillors, local authority officers and the reputation of local government. It sets out general principles of conduct expected of all councillors and your specific obligations in relation to standards of conduct. The LGA encourages the use of support, training and mediation prior to action being taken using the Code. The fundamental aim of the Code is to create and maintain public confidence in the role of councillor and local government.   

General principles of councillor conduct   

Everyone in public office at all levels; all who serve the public or deliver public services, including ministers, civil servants, councillors and local authority officers; should uphold the Seven Principles of Public Life, also known as the Nolan Principles. See Appendix A  

Building on these principles, the following general principles have been developed specifically for the role of councillor.   

In accordance with the public trust placed in me, on all occasions:   

• I act with integrity and honesty   

• I act lawfully   

• I treat all persons fairly and with respect; and   

• I lead by example and act in a way that secures public confidence in the role of councillor.   

In undertaking my role:   

• I impartially exercise my responsibilities in the interests of the local community   

• I do not improperly seek to confer an advantage, or disadvantage, on any person   

• I avoid conflicts of interest   

• I exercise reasonable care and diligence; and   

• I ensure that public resources are used prudently in accordance with my local authority’s requirements and in the public interest.   

Application of the Code of Conduct   

This Code of Conduct applies to you as soon as you sign your declaration of acceptance of the office of councillor or attend your first meeting as a co-opted member and continues to apply to you until you cease to be a councillor.   

This Code of Conduct applies to you when you are acting in your capacity as a councillor which may include when:   

• you misuse your position as a councillor.    

• Your actions would give the impression to a reasonable member of the public with knowledge of all the facts that you are acting as a councillor.    

The Code applies to all forms of communication and interaction, including:   

• at face-to-face meetings   

• at online or telephone meetings   

• in written communication   

• in verbal communication   

• in non-verbal communication   

• in electronic and social media communication, posts, statements, and comments.   

You are also expected to uphold high standards of conduct and show leadership at all times when acting as a councillor.   

Your Monitoring Officer has statutory responsibility for the implementation of the Code of Conduct, and you are encouraged to seek advice from your Monitoring Officer on any matters that may relate to the Code of Conduct. Town and Parish councillors are encouraged to seek advice from their Clerk, who may refer matters to the Monitoring Officer.   

 Standards of councillor conduct   

This section sets out your obligations, which are the minimum standards of conduct required of you as a councillor. Should your conduct fall short of these standards, a complaint may be made against you, which may result in action being taken.   

Guidance is included to help explain the reasons for the obligations and how they should be followed.   

General Conduct   

1. Respect   

As a councillor:   

1. I treat other councillors and members of the public with respect.   

2. I treat local authority employees, employees and representatives of partner organisations and those volunteering for the local authority with respect and respect the role they play.   

Respect means politeness and courtesy in behaviour, speech, and in the written word. Debate and having different views are all part of a healthy democracy. As a councillor, you can express, challenge, criticise and disagree with views, ideas, opinions, and policies in a robust but civil manner. You should not, however, subject individuals, groups of people or organisations to personal attack.   

In your contact with the public, you should treat them politely and courteously. Rude and offensive behaviour lowers the public’s expectations and confidence in councillors.   

In return, you have a right to expect respectful behaviour from the public. If members of the public are being abusive, intimidatory or threatening you are entitled to stop any conversation or interaction in person or online and report them to the local authority, the relevant social media provider or the police. This also applies to fellow councillors, where action could then be taken under the Councillor Code of Conduct, and local authority employees, where concerns should be raised in line with the local authority’s councillor -officer protocol.   

2. Bullying, harassment and discrimination as a councillor:   

1. I do not bully any person.   

2. I do not harass any person.   

3. I promote equalities and do not discriminate unlawfully against any person.   

The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) characterises bullying as offensive, intimidating, malicious or insulting behaviour, an abuse or misuse of power through means that undermine, humiliate, denigrate, or injure the recipient. Bullying might be a regular pattern of behaviour or a one-off incident, happen face-to-face, on social media, in emails or phone calls, happen in the workplace or at work social events and may not always be obvious or noticed by others.   

The Protection from Harassment Act 1997 defines harassment as conduct that causes alarm or distress or puts people in fear of violence and must involve such conduct on at least two occasions. It can include repeated attempts to impose unwanted communications and contact upon a person in a manner that could be expected to cause distress or fear in any reasonable person.   

Unlawful discrimination is where someone is treated unfairly because of a protected characteristic. Protected characteristics are specific aspects of a person’s   

identity defined by the Equality Act 2010. They are age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.   

The Equality Act 2010 places specific duties on local authorities. Councillors have a central role to play in ensuring that equality issues are integral to the local authority’s performance and strategic aims, and that there is a strong vision and public commitment to equality across public services.   

3. Impartiality of officers of the council as a councillor:   

1. I do not compromise, or attempt to compromise, the impartiality of anyone who works for, or on behalf of, the local authority.   

Officers work for the local authority as a whole and must be politically neutral (unless they are political assistants). They should not be coerced or persuaded to act in a way that would undermine their neutrality. You can question officers in order to understand, for example, their reasons for proposing to act in a particular way, or the content of a report that they have written. However, you must not try and force them to act differently, change their advice, or alter the content of that report, if doing so would prejudice their professional integrity.   

4. Confidentiality and access to information As a councillor:   

1. I do not disclose information:   

1. given to me in confidence by anyone   

2. acquired by me which I believe, or ought reasonably to be aware, is of a confidential nature, unless   

i.  I have received the consent of a person authorised to give it;  ii. I am required by law to do so;   

3. the disclosure is made to a third party for the purpose of obtaining professional legal advice provided that the third party agrees not to disclose the information to any other person; or   

4. the disclosure is:   

1. reasonable and in the public interest; and   

2. made in good faith and in compliance with the reasonable requirements of the local authority; and   

3. I have consulted the Monitoring Officer prior to its release.   

2. I do not improperly use knowledge gained solely as a result of my role as a councillor for the advancement of myself, my friends, my family members, my employer or my business interests.   

3. I do not prevent anyone from getting information that they are entitled to by law.   

Local authorities must work openly and transparently, and their proceedings and printed materials are open to the public, except in certain legally defined circumstances. You should work on this basis, but there will be times when it is required by law that discussions, documents, and other information relating to or held by the local authority must be treated in a confidential manner. Examples include personal data relating to individuals or information relating to ongoing negotiations.   

5. Disrepute   

As a councillor:   

1. I do not bring my role or local authority into disrepute.   

As a Councillor, you are trusted to make decisions on behalf of your community and your actions and behaviour are subject to greater scrutiny than that of ordinary members of the public. You should be aware that your actions might have an adverse impact on you, other councillors and/or your local authority and may lower the public’s confidence in your or your local authority’s ability to discharge your/it’s functions. For example, behaviour that is considered dishonest and/or deceitful can bring your local authority into disrepute.   

You are able to hold the local authority and fellow councillors to account and are able to constructively challenge and express concern about decisions and processes undertaken by the council whilst continuing to adhere to other aspects of this Code of Conduct.   

6. Use of position as a councillor:   

1. I do not use, or attempt to use, my position improperly to the advantage or disadvantage of myself or anyone else.   

Your position as a member of the local authority provides you with certain opportunities, responsibilities, and privileges, and you make choices all the time that will impact others. However, you should not take advantage of these opportunities to further your own or others’ private interests or to disadvantage anyone unfairly.   

7. Use of local authority resources and facilities  

As a councillor:   

1. I do not misuse council resources.   

2. I will, when using the resources of the local authority or authorising their use by others:   

1. act in accordance with the local authority’s requirements; and   

2. ensure that such resources are not used for political purposes unless that use could reasonably be regarded as likely to facilitate, or be conducive to, the discharge of the functions of the local authority or of the office to which I have been elected or appointed.   

You may be provided with resources and facilities by the local authority to assist you in carrying out your duties as a councillor.   

Examples include:   

• office support   

• stationery   

• equipment such as phones, and computers   

• transport   

• access and use of local authority buildings and rooms.   

These are given to you to help you carry out your role as a councillor more effectively and are not to be used for business or personal gain. They should be used in accordance with the purpose for which they have been provided and the local authority’s own policies regarding their use.   

8. Complying with the Code of Conduct as a Councillor:   

1. I undertake Code of Conduct training provided by my local authority.   

2. I cooperate with any Code of Conduct investigation and/or determination.   

3. I do not intimidate or attempt to intimidate any person who is likely to be involved with the administration of any investigation or proceedings.   

4. I comply with any sanction imposed on me following a finding that I have breached the Code of Conduct.   

It is extremely important for you as a councillor to demonstrate high standards, for you to have your actions open to scrutiny and for you not to undermine public trust in the local authority or its governance.  If you do not understand or are concerned about the local authority’s processes in handling a complaint you should raise this with your Monitoring Officer.   

Protecting your reputation and the reputation of the local authority   

9. Interests   

As a councillor:   

1. I register and disclose my interests.   

Section 29 of the Localism Act 2011 requires the Monitoring Officer to establish and maintain a register of interests of members of the authority.   

You need to register your interests so that the public, local authority employees and fellow councillors know which of your interests might give rise to a conflict of interest. The register is a public document that can be consulted when (or before) an issue arises. The register also protects you by allowing you to demonstrate openness and a willingness to be held accountable. You are personally responsible for deciding whether or not you should disclose an interest in a meeting, but it can be helpful for you to know early on if others think that a potential conflict might arise. It is also important that the public know about any interest that might have to be disclosed by you or other councillors when making or taking part in decisions, so that decision making is seen by the public as open and honest. This helps to ensure that public confidence in the integrity of local governance is maintained.   

You should note that failure to register or disclose a disclosable pecuniary interest as set out in Table 1, is a criminal offence under the Localism Act 2011.   

Appendix B sets out the detailed provisions on registering and disclosing interests. If in doubt, you should always seek advice from your Monitoring Officer.   

10. Gifts and hospitality as a councillor:   

1. I do not accept gifts or hospitality, irrespective of estimated value, which could give rise to real or substantive personal gain or a reasonable suspicion of influence on my part to show favour from persons seeking to acquire, develop or do business with the local authority or from persons who may apply to the local authority for any permission, licence, or other significant advantage.   

2. I register with the Proper Officer any gift or hospitality with an estimated value of at least £50 within 28 days of its receipt.   

3. I register with the Proper Officer any significant gift or hospitality that I have been offered but have refused to accept.   

In order to protect your position and the reputation of the local authority, you should exercise caution in accepting any gifts or hospitality which are (or which you reasonably believe to be) offered to you because you are a councillor. The presumption should always be not to accept significant gifts or hospitality. However, there may be times when such a refusal may be difficult if it is seen as rudeness in which case, you could accept it but must ensure it is publicly registered. However, you do not need to register gifts and hospitality which are not related to your role as a councillor, such as Christmas gifts from your friends and family. It is also important to note that it is appropriate to accept normal expenses and hospitality associated with your duties as a councillor. If you are unsure, do contact your Monitoring Officer for guidance.