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The decisions as the council's minutes record them. A plain-language summary follows once it has been written.
RESOLVED that the Decision Record of the meeting held on the 17th March, 2026 be signed as a correct record.
RESOLVED that the revisions to the Whistleblowing Policy be approved.
There were no declarations of personal interest
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED that the Decision Record of the meeting held on the 17th March, 2026 be signed as a correct record.
RESOLVED that the Decision Record of the meeting held on the 17th March, 2026 be signed as a correct record.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED that the revisions to the Whistleblowing Policy be approved.
The Cabinet Member considered a report outlining revisions to the Council’s Whistleblowing Policy following changes introduced by the Employment Rights Act, effective from 6 April 2026. It was noted that the legislation had included sexual harassment in the workplace to the categories of wrongdoing that could form the subject of a protected whistleblowing disclosure. The revised policy reflected this change by including sexual harassment within the seven categories of protected disclosure. It was reported that the People Services Team had secured funding to commission specialist training on preventing sexual harassment for leaders, managers and elected members during 2025/26. The Cabinet Member welcomed the training programme and the continued support and monitoring arrangements that would be provided by People Services and the Monitoring Officer. During consideration of the report, the Cabinet Member raised a query regarding the wording of paragraph 33 of the policy, "Is my identity kept confidential?", and expressed concern regarding the anonymity of individuals raising concerns through the whistleblowing process. The HR Manager explained that the wording states that every effort will be made to protect an individual's identity where requested, but that the investigation process may reveal the source of the information and a formal statement may be required as part of the evidence. The HR Manager agreed to give further consideration to the wording. The Cabinet Member emphasised the importance of providing reassurance to potential whistleblowers that their anonymity would be protected wherever possible and that they should be consulted before any disclosure of their identity became necessary. RESOLVED that the revisions to the Whistleblowing Policy be approved.
Councillors must say when they have a personal link to something being discussed, such as a job, a property or a family member. A prejudicial interest is one strong enough that the councillor usually leaves the room and takes no part.
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