Community & Social Policy

Version Number – V4 10.05.18

Congleton Town Council

Local

This Policy contains Congleton Town Council’s written commitment to strengthening the Town’s communities of both place and interest and to recognising and encouraging their diversity and development.

The Policy supports the Council’s Corporate Strategy which defines one of its goals as “An Active and Engaged Community”. It also compliments the authority’s Environmental; Equality; Personnel; Information & Data Protection; and Customer Care policies.

The Council will aim to understand the nature of society within the Town and will use its role as the level of local government closest to the people to develop its qualities and encourage interaction within and between the communities.

In particular the Council will:-

Promote and help provide cultural facilities and community venues.
Promote and facilitate events which draw the whole community together.
Support ways of giving individuals and communities a voice and, where appropriate, act as an advocate.
Support the reporting of local events and issues.
Work in partnership to tackle significant social welfare issues within the Town.
Use its governance role to strengthen communities, as well as supporting voluntary and community organisations which seek to do the same.
Put the needs of the public first and provide fair, responsive and accountable local government.
Promote good relationships between members of the community, including those who might suffer discrimination.
Monitor policies and procedures to assess their effectiveness in achieving our aims.
Work with partners in the statutory, voluntary and private sectors to ensure the best outcomes for the people of Congleton Town.
Coordinate activities to further the aims of the Borough Local Strategic Plan and the Congleton Town Market Town Initiative.

Global

Congleton Town Council will also strive to set a good example in addressing world ethical issues and will encourage partner and associated organisations to do so. It is committed to the prevention of any violation of established Human Rights of any kind, particularly where child labour or undesirable forced acts are involved.

In particular the Council will:-

Promote a culture of ethical behaviour throughout the organisation.
Act to protect the integrity of, and enhance, the reputation of the Council.
Only engage with suppliers, contractors or business partners who do not endanger the Council’s reputation.
Maintain policies and procedures which deliver value for money and demonstrate socially and environmentally responsible behaviour.
Purchase Fair Trade goods where possible.
Question major suppliers of goods and services about their ethical credentials.
Encourage all suppliers to ensure that, throughout their global supply chains, organisations comply with the Ethical Trading Initiative Base Code.
Collaborate and compete with other organisations in a fair, honest and appropriate manner.
Ensure that ethical considerations, as well as financial returns, govern investments.

N.B. Companies with a commitment to ethical trade adopt a code of labour practice that they expect all their suppliers to work towards. Such codes address issues like wages, hours of work, health and safety, employment to be freely chosen, no child labour, the right to join free trade unions and a ban on harsh or inhuman practices.