Procedures for Council Employees
to Deal with
Offers of Gifts and Hospitality
June 2016
Amended draft 27June 2006 AZG / 38 / acceptance of gifts and hospitality
Updated in June 2016 to reflect structural changes only
Procedures for Council Employees to Deal with Offers of Gifts and
Hospitality
Introduction
1. The Council expects all staff to display high standards of integrity in their
relationships with third parties.
2. Gifts, hospitality or other benefits offered to Council staff or their families by a
third party could, or could be seen to, compromise their personal judgement
or integrity and might appear to place the member of staff under an
obligation. This is particularly the case where the gesture or offer could be
interpreted as being made in an attempt to influence decision-making.
3. It is not possible to be prescriptive and define every eventuality where Council
staff should not accept gifts and/or hospitality, but Council staff should
remember the need to be seen to display the core public sector principles of
selflessness, integrity, objectivity and honesty at all times.
4. If a staff member is unsure as to whether or not it is appropriate to accept a
gift and/or hospitality, even after consulting this procedure, then, ultimately,
the best advice is “If in doubt, decline”.
Gifts and Hospitality 5. Employees must never ask any third party for remuneration, gifts or
hospitality in relation to their Council duties. Employees may, from time to
time, be asked to undertake engagements in relation to their Council duties.
This will often be beneficial for both the employee and the Council. However,
if any fee or other reward is involved, arrangements should be made for this
to be paid by the Council.
6. All employees are personally responsible for all decisions connected with the
acceptance of gifts or hospitality offered and for avoiding the risk of damage
to public confidence in the Council. As a general guide, it is usually
appropriate to refuse offers except:
a) isolated small gifts of a trivial character or inexpensive seasonal gifts
such as a calendar or diary or other simple items of office equipment
or other items of modest value;
b) normal hospitality associated with your duties and which would
reasonably be regarded as appropriate (e.g. lunch, or other reasonable
hospitality, taken by Council staff, after, during, or as a result of a
business related event or meeting)
7. Employees should not accept any offer by way of gift or hospitality which
could give rise to a reasonable suspicion of influence on the employee’s part
to show favour or disadvantage to any individual or organisation.
8. Employees should also consider whether there may be any reasonable
perception that any gift received by an employee’s spouse or co-habitee or
family member or by any company in which an employee has a significant
financial interest could give rise to a perception that it would influence
decision-making.
Amended draft 27June 2006 AZG / 38 / acceptance of gifts and hospitality
Updated in June 2016 to reflect structural changes only
9. The term ‘gift’ includes benefits such as relief from indebtedness, loan
concessions or the provision of goods or services at a cost below that
generally charged to members of the public.
10. Employees must not accept any offers of gifts or hospitality from any
individual or organisation who is an applicant awaiting a decision from the
Council or who is seeking to do business or to continue to do business with
the Council. If an employee is making a visit to inspect equipment, vehicles,
land or property, then as a general rule employees should ensure that the
Council pays for the cost of these visits.
11. Employees should only accept offers to attend social or sporting events where
these are clearly part of the life of the community or where the Council or
Department would expect to be formally represented.
12. Employees must not accept offers of repeated hospitality from the same
source.
13. If it is the practice of the Council to seek sponsorship for some of its activities
or events, employees should ensure that their involvement with the sponsors
is limited to the event in question and does not damage public confidence in
the relationship between the Council and the sponsors.
14. Gifts which are offered and/or received at Council offices for general
distribution amongst a number of employees (e.g. cases/bottles of wine and
or spirits at Christmas) should, where possible, be discouraged and/or
returned. Where these have been received and it is not practical to arrange
return, the disposal of such gifts, including their recommended donation for
charitable purposes, should be determined in consultation with the relevant
Assistant Chief Executive. In such cases consideration should be given to
whether the organisation or individual providing the gift should be informed in
writing of what has happened to the items and relevant details recorded in the
register of Gifts and Hospitality.
Register of Gifts and Hospitality
15. Each employee must record with his or her Assistant Chief Executive details of
any gift or hospitality which he or she receives, with the exception of those
referred to at paragraph 6 above. Assistant Chief Executives are required to
ensure that employees in their department are aware of these requirements.
A register of the offer and/ or receipt of such gifts or hospitality will be
available for scrutiny as part of the Council’s normal audit process. Assistant
Chief Executives require to ensure the register is kept up-to-date and that it is
objectively and regularly reviewed.
Status of guidance
16. This document constitutes guidelines as to behaviour and conduct by Council
employees. While it will be open to an employee in a particular situation to
argue that the Procedures for Council Employees to Deal with Offers of Gifts
and Hospitality were not applicable, this will only be considered acceptable in
exceptional circumstances
17. As a general rule, this document should be taken to be read as a compliance
requirement on the part of employees. Failure to comply may constitute
grounds for instigating disciplinary procedures.
Amended draft 27June 2006 AZG / 38 / acceptance of gifts and hospitality
Updated in June 2016 to reflect structural changes only
Chief Executive
June 2006
Amended draft 27June 2006 AZG / 38 / acceptance of gifts and hospitality
Updated in June 2016 to reflect structural changes only
Appendix 1
North Lanarkshire Council - Register of Gifts and Hospitality
Notification of Gifts and Hospitality Form – to be completed by employees
and submitted to Executive Director
Name/Job title
Council
officer
offered/
accepting
gifts
and/or
hospitality
Nature of gift and/or
hospitality
please provide a full
description of the
gift/hospitality offered
or received.
please include the name
of the company,
organisation, body or
individual responsible
for offering or making
the gift or providing
hospitality.
Please give a brief
account of the
circumstances and
confirmation of whether
or not the offer was
declined, rejected,
accepted or received.
In the specific case of
acceptance please
confirm what you
propose to do with the
gift and whether or not
it would be appropriate
to inform the donor.
Signature of staff member
Date Signature
notifying offer or receipt
Entry
in
Departmental Date Signature
register
on
behalf
of
Executive Director
Amended draft 27June 2006 AZG / 38 / acceptance of gifts and hospitality
Updated in June 2016 to reflect structural changes only
Appendix 2
Service Register of Gifts and Hospitality - …………………………………… (Name of Service
No
Officer
Name of the
Description of Outline of the
Confirmation of
If gift received, was
Was the donor informed
company,
gift /
circumstances
whether or not the
it Returned, Accepted what was to be done with
organisation, body
Hospitality
offer was declined or Distributed or
the gift and by what
or individual
Offered
received
Otherwise dealt with means.
making offer
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
As outlined in Section 15, this register of the offer and/ or receipt of such gifts or hospitality will be available for scrutiny as part of the
Council’s normal audit process.
Under normal Service procedures, Assistant Chief Executives require to ensure the register is kept up-to-date and that it is objectively
reviewed with a regularity considered appropriate.
Amended draft 27June 2006 AZG / 38 / acceptance of gifts and hospitality
Updated in June 2016 to reflect structural changes only
