'Authoritarian red tape' could see council workers banned from working 'at the local pub'
Summary
Plans to impose ‘authoritarian red tape’ which could bar part-time council workers from having a second job ‘at the local pub’ have been pushed back. Under Gloucestershire County Council current rules, full-time staff have to seek this authorisation in writing from their director before undertaking other work.
Details
But HR bosses at Shire Hall want to make changes to their employee code of conduct to require that part-time staff get permission from their directors if they want to take on extra work elsewhere. But councillors have disagreed strongly and called for a re-think on the proposals which several see as “authoritarian”.
Liberal Democrat Councillor Jeremy Hilton (Kingsholm and Wotton) was the first to raise concerns over the issue which was debated at the constitution committee on June 15. He felt they were ‘quite authoritarian’ in that HR would decide on whether part-time workers can take another job ‘in the bar or at the local pub’.
He said: “If you’ve got somebody working for 16 hours a week for Gloucestershire County Council and they want to take another job for 16 hours a week and it doesn’t clash with the times and everything like that, it would be unfair for directors to then turn around and say sorry you can’t do that.” Officers said, without the requirement, the authority was exposed to not having any proper protection around if someone is working more than they are supposed to under the law.
The council also lacks the visibility they should have around potential conflicts of interest without the requirement, they said. Eleanor Hutchinson, the council’s head of human resources, said the proposal would give them greater assurance and protection. “But of course, we need to be proportionate and balanced in how it’s applied,” she added.
Cllr Alex Hegenbarth (LD, Bishop’s Cleeve) said he understood the point around conflicts of interest but felt it was a “clumsy” mechanism to police that. “It does sweep up those people who are working at lower levels in the organisation who may work in multiple areas or those who are working from home with a side business or something like that,” he said.
“Does somebody need to get signed off by HR to sell jewellery on eBay?” He also questioned the rule for full-time employees. Ms Hutchinson recognised it was quite a simplistic response to the issue but said they is currently no sophisticated mechanism for the council to police the issue. “In the short term, this is how we are providing some protection for ourselves,” she said.
Reform UK Councillor Michael Rees (Cam Valley) said it was concerning part-time employees would have to ask for permission from a director to get another job. “Especially if they are jumping between jobs, struggling to make an income to survive,” he said. He said it sounds ‘authoritarian and controlling’.
Report source: Gloucestershire Live