The rules, outlined as follows, are applicable to employees regardless of whether they are in receipt of hospitality or gifts during work time, or during their personal time. If the hospitality or gifts offered fall outside the criteria for acceptance during work time, then accepting them at weekends, evenings or while on leave is also unacceptable.
All hospitality must be recorded using the register of gifts and hospitality offered to officers form and further information can be found on the gifts and hospitality register.
The Code of Conduct for Employees and Financial Regulations, states the following in relation to hospitality and gifts,
Gifts
You may accept 'token' gifts from customers, contractors or service users up to the value of £50. Acceptable examples are calendars, diaries, pens or chocolates. All gifts should be reported to your manager. You must not accept gifts worth more than £50 and you must report such offers to your executive director. You must refuse any offer of a gift where you suspect that an improper motive may exist – i.e. the giver is seeking to influence your decisions or actions and you must report such offers to your executive director. This is the case regardless of the monetary value of the offer.
In no circumstances should you accept a monetary gift, (including gift vouchers) and again, you must report such offers to your executive director.
Hospitality
You should only accept hospitality (meals / refreshments) if there is a genuine need to impart information or to represent the council. You should also ensure that accepting the hospitality does not create a conflict of interest and is not likely to cause embarrassment to the council. You should report the offer of hospitality, whether accepted or not, to your line manager, and should ensure that all such offers are recorded in the appropriate hospitality register.
The council's approach to hospitality and gifts is designed to protect both the organisation and individual employees from allegations of decisions on policy and purchasing being influenced by the receipt of personal benefits. Please remember that however unlikely such influence might be, we need to consider how the public and media might interpret our conduct.
The report for gifts and hospitality is about to be prepared, so please can you ensure you and your staff complete the electronic gifts and hospitality form by Thursday 17 April 2025 for the last quarter (1 January 2025 to 31 March 2025).
Where employees do not have access to an email address it is asked that the line manager completes the form on their behalf.