Transparency, integrity and respect among new values Peterborough City Council is poised to adopt

Transparency, integrity and respect are among the values Peterborough City Council (PCC) is poised to adopt.

The values were unanimously approved by a council sub-committee this week and will be officially adopted after they’ve passed through a full council meeting.

“We are committed to putting people first,” a council graphic displaying the six new values reads. “Everyone matters.”

The remaining values are: inclusivity, innovation and collaboration.

The process of choosing PCC’s values began in October last year, with consultation with PCC employees taking place throughout January and February 2023.

A council report on the new values says that they should be incorporated into its code of conduct once they’ve passed through full council and used to form a framework for performance discussions as well as staff recruitment and promotions.

They should also be publicised and visible to all residents and associates, it adds.

Values to be displayed on council computers

This will entail internal announcements, adding the values to Microsoft Teams backdrops, screensavers and email signatures on council computers and using them as a criteria to judge employee awards.

Another option the report lists is printing them on sails to be displayed in the council’s reception.

The values have already been signed off by a small number of councillors, although the subcommittee that approved them was largely populated by substitutes for its usual members.

This may be in part due to the fact that some councillors travelled to London for the Local Government Chronicle Awards at Grosvenor House when the meeting was happening, as PCC was shortlisted for Most Improved Council.

This was because it has a “stronger grip on finances, improved member engagement and staff culture, stronger political leadership, improved governance and the beginnings of a programme of transformation across all council services,” the council says.

But the prize instead went to Torbay Council in Devon.

The need to adopt a new set of values came about because the last set, dating back to 2018, were adopted jointly with Cambridgeshire County Council (CCC) when the two councils had far more joint services than they do now.

The current values are as such felt not to be “fit-for-purpose”, the council report says, with the new ones more accurately reflecting PCC’s current corporate strategy.

Council values in full

The values in full are:

Transparent: We keep our promises and share the right information appropriately with the right people

Collaborative: We create and maintain a supportive environment, and trust in each other to get the job done

Innovative: We will be bold and courageous looking for ways to do things differently, empowering all to look for solutions rather than challenges

Inclusive: We recognise and value diversity in everyone by acknowledging all views and experiences

Respect: We respect all people and communities by showing kindness and empathy

Integrity: We are open, honest and take accountability for our actions by not blaming others for our mistakes