Teachers who are members of political Parties.

Dear Mr Walker

Request for information

Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 ("the Act")

Teachers who are Members of Political Parties

I refer to your request for information of 12 October. Please the
responses to your request for information detailed below:-

1. Has your authority ever found a member of the BNP or any other
political Party guilty of a disciplinary offence related to their Party
membership whilst teaching in the last three years? If so please give
information as to when and how many.

No

2. Has any parent complained to you regarding the Party membership of any
employee or the expression of political views within School classrooms
under your authority during the last three years?

No

3. What safeguards do you currently have in place to prevent members of
any political Party promoting their views within Schools?

The text detailed below is part of the National Code of Conduct and is
contained in the Comhairle's employment hand book which applies to all
Comhairle employees'.

12. Political neutrality

The public expects you to carry out your duties in a politically neutral
way, and this must be respected by councillors. The political activities
of a small number of employees are restricted by law. You must serve the
Comhairle and all councillors, regardless of their political outlook. The
Chief Executive and senior officers have ultimate responsibility to help
ensure that the policies of the Comhairle are implemented. You must
implement the policies of the Comhairle irrespective of your personal
views. If you are asked by a councillor to provide assistance with a
matter which is clearly party political or which does not have a clear
link with the work of the Comhairle, you should politely refuse and inform
the councillor that you are referring the matter to your line manager.
Some employees will have a close working relationship with councillors of
the majority political group (or groups) which form the administration of
the Comhairle. Political groups may sometimes seek advice from council
employees. You must follow the procedure below. The following is an
example of good practice in regulating access by political groups to the
advice of employees: The office bearers (of the group) must first approach
the Chief Executive. The office bearers must tell the Chief Executive what
type of advice they are seeking.. The Chief Executive will decide whether
attendance at the meeting is appropriate and which employee or employees
should attend. Once the employee has given the advice to the group, the
employee must leave the meeting before any decision is made. Strict
confidentiality must be observed by the employee. The discussion in one
political group should not be disclosed to another political group or to
any member of such a group.

I trust this information is sufficient for your needs. If you are
dissatisfied with this response you can request the Comhairle to review
this response to your request for information. You have 40 days, from the
date of receipt of this response, in which to lodge this requirement for
review. A request for review must be in writing, describe your original
request and explain why are dissatisfied. An application for review
should be sent to the Chief Executive, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Council
Offices, Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, HS1 2BW ([1][email address]).
A request for review lodged with the Chief Executive will be processed
promptly and in any event within 20 working days of receipt.

Should you still remain dissatisfied after completion of the review
process you may apply to the Scottish Information Commissioner, 10 Kinburn
Castle, Doubledykes Road, St Andrews, Fife, K16 9BS, to establish whether
your request for information has been processed in accordance with Part 1
of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.

Yours sincerely

Lena Morrison

FOI & Equalities Officer

T: 01851 709222

E: [email address]

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