Whistle blowing
Whistle blowing (Confidential Reporting Policy)
Whistle blowing is about helping people to raise legitimate concerns or worries about the council’s activities and practices. Walsall Council is committed to the highest standard of openness, accountability and integrity, and has adopted this policy to make it possible for anyone working for the council, including its contractors and suppliers, who have serious concerns about the council’s activities and practices, to come forward and voice those concerns.
Such concerns may include improper conduct, malpractice, fraud, corruption or abuse within the council or in relation to service users.
All reported issues will be taken seriously and treated on a confidential basis.
Policy
The policy applies to all those working for the council, including temporary and agency staff, contractors working for the council on council premises, suppliers and those providing services under a contract with the council in their own premises.
While the policy does not apply to members of the public, it has been placed on our web site so that local residents and other people who use our services can see the policy, and understand our arrangements for whistle blowing. Local residents and service users already have a number of ways of raising concerns with the council, such as contacting their local councillor or using our complaints procedures. However, if a resident or service user were to have concerns about improper conduct, malpractice or fraud within the council, the council would encourage them to raise those concerns with the council’s internal audit service.
The policy recognises that those reporting concerns need to be assured that the matters have been properly addressed and that they will be informed of the outcome of the case subject to legal constraints.
View Confidential reporting (whistle-blowing) policy (PDF 30KB)
Reporting concerns
Full details of points of contact, both within the council and external to it, are included within the policy.
Additionally, a Notification of fraud or irregularity on-line form is available which enables concerns to be reported to the council’s internal audit service in a secure and confidential manner.
Social Care and Inclusion issues
The council’s social care services, within both Children’s Services and Social Care and Inclusion, have built on the corporate policy in respect of its need to be especially vigilant in protecting the interests of vulnerable clients and operates a statutory complaints procedure for all complaints relating to service users receiving a service. In the first instance, such complaints should be directed to the Customer Care Team, Tameway Tower, 6th Floor, East Wing, Bridge Street, Walsall WS1 1JZ, or telephone 01922 650487.
This page was last updated on 04 December 2009