Whistleblowing

We are committed to openness, probity and accountability. In line with this commitment we expect employees, and others that we deal with, who have serious concerns about any aspect of our work to come forward and voice those concerns.

We have a whistleblowing policy to make sure that employees, contractors working with us on our premises, suppliers, those providing services under a contract with us in their own premises, councillors and members of the public feel confident and are able to raise concerns and to question and act upon concerns.

The concerns covered by the whistleblowing policy are:

• conduct which is an offence or a breach of law;
• failure to comply with a legal obligation;
• disclosures related to miscarriages of justice;
• racial, sexual, disability or other discrimination;
• health and safety risks, including risks to the public as well as other employees;
• damage to the environment;
• the unauthorised use of public funds;
• possible fraud, bribery and corruption, including but not limited to, theft of property, financial irregularities, misuse of property and council systems, nepotism, conflicts of interest, or supplier kickbacks;
• sexual, physical or other abuse of clients or service users;
• other unethical conduct; and
• actions which are unprofessional, inappropriate or conflict with a general understanding of what is right and wrong.

The council's whistleblowing policy includes details of how to report concerns.