PAPER C
Committee : STANDARDS COMMITTEE
Date : 27 NOVEMBER 2006
Title : THE ISLE OF WIGHT COUNCIL’S WHISTLEBLOWING
POLICY
THE REPORT OF DIRECTOR OF
PERFORMANCE, POLICY AND PARTNERSHIPS AND DEPUTY CHIEF EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY/PURPOSE
1.
This report provides committee members with an update
in respect of the developments and changes that have been made to the council’s
confidential reporting code to ensure that serious concerns about malpractice
or wrongdoing are properly raised and addressed.
2.
Committee members are asked to note and approve the
changes made to council policy.
BACKGROUND
3.
The council
introduced a Confidential Reporting Code in January 2000 that took into account
the provisions of the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 and good practice
guidance. The Act seeks to protect
staff from being
penalised by employers for
raising concerns about serious misconduct or malpractice that threatens the
public interest.
4.
In revising
the policy added emphasis has been given to:
·
Replacing the
term ‘confidential reporting’ to ‘whistleblowing’ in recognition of the fact
that this has become a widely established title and readily understood by staff
·
The
seriousness with which the Council takes malpractice and/or wrongdoing;
·
How employees
can raise their concerns outside of line management;
·
How employees
can access confidential advice from an independent body by the introduction of
and subscription to the Public Concern at Work telephone hotline;
·
How the
Council will respond when an employee raises a concern
·
How the
council can monitor and review the effectiveness of whistleblowing
arrangements, and
·
A summary
(flow chart) of the steps for raising and progressing an employee’s concern