Chiltern District Council

Whistleblowing Policy

Revised June 2002

Introduction

All of us at one time or another have concerns about what is happening at work.  Usually these concerns are easily resolved.  However, when they are about unlawful conduct, financial malpractice or dangers to the public or the environment, it can be difficult to know what to do.

You may be worried about raising such issues or may want to keep the concerns to yourself, perhaps feeling it’s none of your business or that it’s only about a suspicion.  You may feel that raising the matter would be disloyal to colleagues, managers or to the Council.  You may decide to say something but find that you have spoken to the wrong person or raised the issue in the wrong way and are not sure what to do next.  

The Council has this procedure (which is based upon Good Practice issued from the independent body ‘Public Concern at Work’ to enable you to raise your concerns about such malpractice at an early stage and in the right way.  We would rather that you raised the matter when it is just a concern rather than wait for proof.  

If something is troubling you which you think we should know about or look into, please use this procedure.  If, however, you are aggrieved about your personal position, please use the Grievance Procedure – which you can get from your manager or the Personnel Section and is also on the Intranet (in the Local Conditions of Service Section).  This Whistleblowing Procedure is primarily for concerns where the interests of others or of the Council itself are at risk.  IF IN DOUBT – RAISE IT

Our Assurances to you

Your safety

The Council and Management Team are committed to this policy.  If you raise a genuine concern under this policy, you will not be at risk of losing your job or suffering any form of detriment as a result.  Provided you are acting in good faith, it does not matter if you are mistaken.  This assurance is not extended to someone who maliciously raises a matter they know is untrue.

Your confidence

We will not tolerate the harassment or victimisation of anyone raising a genuine concern.  However, we recognise that you may nonetheless want to raise a concern in confidence under this policy.  Your identity will be protected.  However, should any action be required that would reveal your identity, the situation will be discussed with you and your consent obtained before such action is take.  While we will consider anonymous reports, this policy is not appropriate for concerns raised anonymously.  

How we will handle the matter

Once you have told us of your concern, we will look into it to assess initially what action should be taken.  This may involve an internal inquiry or a more formal investigation.  We will tell you who is handling the matter, how you can contact them and whether your further assistance may be needed.  If you request, we will write to you summarising your concern and setting out how we propose to handle it.  

If you do have any personal interest in the matter, we do ask that you tell us at the outset.  If your concern falls more properly within the Grievance Procedure we will tell you.  

While the purpose of this policy is to enable us to investigate possible malpractice and take appropriate steps to deal with it, we will give you as much feedback as we properly can and a written response will be issued following the investigation.

How to raise a concern internally

Step one

If you have a concern about malpractice, we hope you will feel able to raise it first with your manager.  This may be done orally or in writing.  

Step two

If you feel unable to raise the matter with your manager, for whatever reason, please raise the matter with one of the following officers:

Internal Audit Manager          G Osgathorp     01494 732085     E-mail: gosgathorp@chiltern.gov.uk

Chief Executive           A Goodrum     01494 732001     E-mail: agoodrum@chiltern.gov.uk

Director of Corporate Services     P Short           01494 732071     E-mail: pshort@chiltern.gov.uk

Director of Planning & the     G Gowing      01494 732052     E-mail: ggowing@chiltern.gov.uk

Environment

Monitoring Officer          R Patterson     01494 732761     E-mail: hpatters@chiltern.gov.uk    

Head of Personnel          M. Butler          01494 732015     E-mail: mbutler@chiltern.gov.uk

Please say if you want to raise the matter in confidence so that they can make appropriate arrangements.

If these channels have been followed and you still have concerns, or if you feel that the matter is so serious that you cannot discuss it with any of the above, please contact one of the following:

Chairman of the Council          I Gomm          01494 724895    

Leader of the Executive          D Phillips     01494 762754     E-mail: dphillip@chiltern.gov.uk

Independent advice

If you are unsure whether to use this procedure or if you want independent advice at any stage, you may contact the independent charity Public Concern at Work on 020 7404 6609.  Their lawyers can give free confidential advice at any stage about how to raise a concern about serious malpractice at work.

External contacts

While we hope this policy gives you the reassurance you need to raise such matters internally, we would rather you raised a matter with the appropriate regulator than not at all.  Provided you are acting in good faith and you have evidence to back up your concern, you can also contact:

The Council’s External Auditors     Deloitte and Touche       01727 839000

If you are dissatisfied

If you are unhappy with our response, remember you can go to the other levels and bodies detailed in this Policy.  While we cannot guarantee that we will respond to all matters in the way that you might wish, your concern will be reviewed fairly and properly.