CODE OF CONDUCT

As a member or co-opted member of Shropshire Council I have a responsibility to represent the community and work constructively with our staff and partner organisations to secure better social, economic and environmental outcomes for all.

In accordance with the Localism Act provisions, when acting in this capacity I am committed to behaving in a manner that is consistent with the following principles to achieve best value for our residents and maintain public confidence in this authority.

SELFLESSNESS: Holders of public office should act solely in terms of the public interest. They should not do so in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or their friends.

INTEGRITY: Holders of public office should not place themselves under any financial or other obligation to outside individuals or organisations that might seek to influence them in the performance of their official duties.

OBJECTIVITY: In carrying out public business, including making public appointments, awarding contracts, or recommending individuals for rewards and benefits, holders of public office should make choices on merit.

ACCOUNTABILITY: Holders of public office are accountable for their decisions and actions to the public and must submit themselves to whatever scrutiny is appropriate to their office.

OPENNESS: Holders of public office should be as open as possible about all the decisions and actions that they take. They should give reasons for their decisions and restrict information only when the wider public interest clearly demands.

HONESTY: Holders of public office have a duty to declare any private interests relating to their public duties and to take steps to resolve any conflicts arising in a way that protects the public interest.

LEADERSHIP: Holders of public office should promote and support these principles by leadership and example.

As a Member of Shropshire Council my conduct will in particular address the statutory principles of the code of conduct by:

• Championing the needs of residents – the whole community and in a special way my constituents, including those who did not vote for me - and putting their interests first.

 

• Dealing with representations or enquiries from residents, members of our communities and visitors fairly, appropriately and impartially.

• Not allowing other pressures, including the financial interests of myself or others connected to me, to deter me from pursuing constituents' casework, the interests of the Authority's areaor the good governance of the authority in a proper manner.

 

• Exercising independent judgement and not compromising my position by placing myself under obligations to outside individuals or organisations who might seek to influence the way I perform my duties as a member/co-opted member of this authority.

• Listening to the interests of all parties, including relevant advice from statutory and other professional officers, taking all relevant information into consideration, remaining objective and making decisions on merit.

 

• Being accountable for my decisions and co-operating when scrutinised internally and externally, including by local residents.

• Contributing to making this authority’s decision-making processes as open and transparent as possible to enable residents to understand the reasoning behind those decisions and to be informed when holding me and other members to account but restricting access to information when the wider public interest or the law requires it

 

• Behaving in accordance with all our legal obligations, alongside any requirements contained within this authority’s policies, protocols and procedures, including on the use of the Authority’s resources.

• Valuing my colleagues and staff and engaging with them in an appropriate manner and one that underpins the mutual respect between us that is essential to good local government.

 

• Always treating people with respect, including the organisations and public I engage with and those I work alongside.

• Providing leadership through behaving in accordance with these principles when championing the interests of the community with other organisations as well as within this authority.

REGISTRATION AND DISCLOSURE OF PECUNIARY INTERESTS

As a Member(1) of Shropshire Council (“the Council”) I am required to register certain interests (known as “disclosable pecuniary interests”) of my own and of my partner(2). These interests are set out in the table below.  

When I am present at a meeting of the Council and I have a disclosable pecuniary interest (which includes your own interest and that of your partner) in any matter being considered which is entered in the Council’s register of interests, I do not need to disclose it to the meeting, but Iwill withdraw from the meeting room when the matter is being discussed and will not participate, or participate further, in any discussion of, or any vote taken on, the matter at the meeting.

If my disclosable pecuniary interest (which includes your own interest and that of your partner) is not entered in the Council’s register of interests, I will disclose its existence and, unless it is a sensitive interest(3), its nature, to the meeting and will notify the Monitoring Officer of the interest within 28 days of the meeting.  Iwill withdraw from the meeting room when the matter is being discussed and will not participate, or participate further, in any discussion of, or any vote taken on, the matter at the meeting.

Subject	Prescribed description
Employment, office, trade, profession or vacation	Any employment, office, trade, profession or vocation carried on for profit or gain by you or your partner
Sponsorship	Any payment or provision of any other financial benefit (other than from the Council) made or provided within the relevant period(4) in respect of any expenses incurred by you in carrying out your duties as a member, or towards your election expenses. This includes any payment or financial benefit from a trade union within the meaning of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992.
Contracts	Any contract which is made between you or your partner (or a body in which you or your partner has a beneficial interest(5)) and the Council — (a) under which goods or services are to be provided or works are to be executed; and (b) which has not been fully discharged.
Land	Any beneficial interest in land(6) which is within the area of the Council.
Licences	Any licence (alone or jointly with others) to occupy land in the area of the Council for a month or longer.
Corporate tenancies	Any tenancy where (to your knowledge)— (a) the landlord is the Council ; and (b) the tenant is a body in which you or your partner has a beneficial interest.
Securities	Any beneficial interest in securities(7) of a body where— (a) that body (to your knowledge) has a place of business or land in the area of the Council ; and (b) either— (i) the total nominal value of the securities exceeds £25,000 or one hundredth of the total issued share capital of that body; or (ii) if the share capital of that body is of more than one class, the total nominal value of the shares of any one class in which you or your partner  has a beneficial interest exceeds one hundredth of the total issued share capital of that class.