Issue - items at meetings - Effectiveness of the Whistleblowing Function

Report of the Director of Strategy & Governance (copy attached).

RESOLVED - That the contents of the report and the operation of the Whistleblowing Policy be noted.

47.1         The Committee considered a report of the Director of Strategy & Governance concerning the operation of the Whistleblowing function within the council (for copy see minute book).

47.2         The Chairman explained that following a meeting with the District Auditor about what they could investigate, additional information had been circulated regarding the whistleblowing charity Public Concern at Work, which could provide independent advice to employees, as he considered that this would be more relevant to Members’ concerns (see Appendix 2 to the minutes).

47.3         In response to concerns raised by Councillor Elgood the Director of Strategy & Governance and Head of Law made the following comments:

§         There was a publicity campaign when the whistleblowing policy was launched, but it would be helpful to inform new staff and remind longer serving staff of the policy and the options available to them, including Public Concern at Work; staff were able to access the charity and this was written into the policy, however, it was important to note that the charity was advisory and could not receive or investigate complaints.

§         Statistics had been compared with other local authorities and the Council’s level of whistleblowing was comparable.

§         When making a complaint the primary expectation was that staff consult first with their line manager, however, the policy listed a number of people and staff could approach any of them in the first instance.

47.4         Councillor Elgood called for the whistleblowing policy to be reviewed, including consideration by Overview & Scrutiny; he added that he would support a process where all complaints were referred directly to an independent arbitrator.

47.5         The Chairman offered to circulate the whistleblowing policy to members of the Committee. He agreed to bring a further report back to at a later date and ask Public Concern at Work to make a presentation to the Committee as requested by Councillor Elgood.

47.6         RESOLVED –

(1)         That the contents of the report and the operation of the Whistleblowing Policy be noted.

(2)         That a further report comes to a future meeting of the Committee.