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- Letter from the First Civil Service Commissioner
- Our role as Regulators
- Timeline of the year
- Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010
- Commissioners' Recruitment Principles
- Regulating Appointment on Merit
- Helping to promote the Civil Service Values
- Upholding the Civil Service Values
- Progress against strategy
- Links with others
- Meet the Commissioners
- Appendices
- Feedback
Upholding the Civil Service Values
Role of the Civil Service Commissioners
The Civil
Service Code outlines the core values of the Civil Service and gives illustrations of the standards of behaviour expected from civil servants. It also explains the duties of departments to make civil servants aware of the Code and its values. Departments must consider concerns raised by civil servants under the Code and must ensure that civil servants are not penalised for raising concerns.
Under the Civil
Service Order in Council 1995 (as amended), the Civil Service Commissioners hear and determine appeals raised by civil servants under the Civil Service Code.
A civil servant will usually raise a concern by talking to their line manager or someone else in the line management chain. If for any reason this would be difficult, they can raise the matter with their department’s Nominated Officer. Nominated Officers are appointed to advise staff on the Code. If a civil servant has raised a concern within their department but do not receive what they consider to be a reasonable response, they may bring an appeal to the Civil Service Commissioners.
The Commissioners can also consider appeals from civil servants direct. But we believe that it is in the best interests of all parties that difficulties should be resolved at the departmental or agency level when that is possible.
Summary of Code cases
The Commissioners dealt with 24 approaches this year requesting appeals under the Civil Service Code. Last year the total was 14.
Read moreAudit of departments
In April 2009, with the support of the Cabinet Secretary, we commissioned the first full audit of departments’ activities to promote and uphold the values in the Civil Service Code.
Read moreNew Guides for civil servants and departments
Last year we reported on work that was underway to reassess all our policies and practices in handling Civil Service Code appeals. We wished to benchmark ourselves against best practice.
Read moreCivil Service Staff Survey
In 2009 the first Civil Service-wide staff survey was conducted. A common set of questions was used in all departments and agencies.
Read moreContinuing Work during 2010/11
We believe that it is important that departments and agencies have an appropriate amount of time to consider and act on the results of our 2009 audit of the Civil Service Code.
Read more Design & development by sapere audemus.