Wiltshire Council would like to remind Town and Parish Councils of the resources created as part of their Positive Conduct, Positive Democracy campaign, which WALC are proud to support.
The campaign began with a webinar that focused on how local councillors and clerks can avoid Code of Conduct issues occurring.
Wiltshire Council have also created a Positive Conduct equals Positive Democracy Charter and are encouraging all local councillors and clerks to sign up to the Charter, to show their commitment to being a positive conduct ambassador and to promoting high standards in public life. Digital and printable versions are available on the Positive Conduct webpage. If you sign the Charter and email Wiltshire Council to confirm you’ve done so, your Council will send you a special email signature banner to use, demonstrating that you are a Charter signatory.
There is also a Positive Conduct Positive Democracy Toolkit that is full of practical advice and resources to support the smooth running of council meetings and to deal with challenging issues. For now, here are seven quick tips to help you:
- Social media: The majority of the code of conduct complaints Wiltshire Council receive now involve social media. A good rule of thumb is, if you wouldn’t say it in person or on the telephone, then don’t say it on social media. If you’re discussing council matters then you may be considered to be acting in your official capacity, even when using a personal social media account.
- Emails: Encourage your council to adopt dedicated council email addresses for members. These should be used only in that capacity, with members’ personal email addresses always used for personal correspondence. This provides clarity and transparency for everyone.
- Interests: Carefully read your Code of Conduct’s requirements on interests, as well as the relevant guidance from Central Government. If you are in doubt about your level of pecuniary or non-pecuniary interest, do declare. Better to be safe than sorry.
- Planning: If you have your own application or live very near to one, consider whether you should be involved in formal meetings or discussions about it.
- Chairing: Get to know your council’s standing orders, so you know them without having to look them up. This will make you a more confident Chair and one who operates consistently within your own council’s procedures.
- Abuse and threats: Do not tolerate people being abusive, intimidatory or threatening towards you. You are entitled to stop any such conversations or interactions in person or online and if appropriate report the person to the local authority, social media provider or the police.
Acting early: If you identify a potential conduct issue, address it early, as small issues can quickly spiral. If you identify a potential conduct issue and don’t know what to do, contact the Wiltshire Association of Local Councils (WALC) and clerks the Society for Local Council Clerks (SLCC).
If you have any thoughts or ideas about councillor conduct, please do get in touch with Wiltshire Council at governance@wiltshire.gov.uk.
