As a member of the council you must abide by the code of conduct, as set out in the council’s constitution:
Standards of conduct
In your role as a councillor, you must have regard to, and act in accordance with, the following standards of conduct, as set out in the members’ code of conduct – part 5 (section 1) of the constitution:
Selflessness
You should serve only in the public interest, and should never improperly confer an advantage or disadvantage on any person, organisation or group, or any other third party.
Honesty and integrity
You should not place yourself in situations where your honesty and integrity may be questioned, you should not behave improperly and should avoid the appearance of such
behaviour.
Objectivity
You must make decisions based on the information before you, having had regard to any professional advice provided to you and in accordance with your view of the public interest.
You should make decisions on merit, this includes when making appointments, awarding contracts, or recommending individuals for awards or other recognition.
Accountability
You are accountable to the public for your decisions and actions and the manner in which you carry out your duties. You must co-operate fully and honestly with any scrutiny
appropriate to your office. You should not undertake any action which would bring the council, your position, or the position of Members generally, into disrepute.
Openness
You must be as open as possible about your actions and those of the authority, and should be prepared to give reasons for those actions.
Leadership
You must promote and maintain high standards of conduct by supporting these principles by leadership and by example, and should act in a way that secures or
preserves the confidence of others. You must have due regard to the impartiality and integrity of the authority’s statutory officers and its other officers.
The code also sets out guidance on declarations of interest, declarations of pecuniary interests and more.
If you have any questions about the code of conduct email monitoringofficer@lichfielddc.gov.uk.
Working relationship with officers
In your new role you will also interact with officers on a regular basis.
The relationship between members (referred to as councillors) and officers is an essential ingredient that goes into the successful working of the council, as set out in the protocol on member/officer relations in the Members’ code of conduct – part 5 (section 3) of the constitution
This relationship is characterised by mutual respect, informality and trust.
Councillors and officers need to feel free to speak to one another openly and honestly.
The purpose of the protocol is rather to help councillors and officers to perform effectively by giving guidance on their respective roles and expectations and on their relationship with each other. It gives guidance on what to do on the rare occasions when things go wrong.
If you have any questions about the protocol on member/officer relations, email monitoringofficer@lichfielddc.gov.uk.