24.8 Information and advice

(a) General information and advice

Councillors can ask the chief executive or an executive director or a head of service for information or advice that relates to their work as a councillor. As long as it does not involve giving the councillor exempt information, officers will provide the best information and advice they can with the resources available.

Councillors should be reasonable in their requests for information and advice.

If it is possible that a councillor will use the information at a meeting, the board member will be told what information has been asked for and given.

(b) Advice for councillors with special responsibilities

The lord mayor, board members and committee chairs can ask the chief executive, executive directors and heads of service for extra background information and advice on different courses of action.

The leaders of minority political groups can ask the chief executive or executive directors or heads of service for background information or more details about items coming to the next meeting of a committee or the board. The appropriate chair or board member will be told about any information given.

Party group leaders can ask for advice on presenting their budget in a correct form. This will be given in confidence.

(c) Help with casework

When data protection laws allow, councillors will be given the information they need to do their casework. This will be done in confidence.

Page last reviewed 24 Oct 2008