4. How to report an actual or suspected serious wrongdoing
4.1
A person who wishes to report any suspected serious wrongdoing (“a disclosure”) to the Borough Council should contact the Borough Council either by:-
- E-mail to: whistleblowing@rotherham.gov.uk
- Whistleblowing Hotline – 01709 822400 Where a recorded message can be left
Post to:-
Whistleblowing,
c/o Head of Legal Services,
Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council,
Riverside House,
Main Street,
ROTHERHAM.
S60 1AE
Setting out the following information:-
- Name: (unless they wish to be anonymous)
- Contact details (unless they wish to be anonymous)
- Who has committed the alleged serious wrong doing?
- What is the nature of the alleged serious wrong doing?
Whistleblowing Officers
Alternatively, a person wishing to report any suspected wrong doing may contact any of the four Whistleblowing Officers who are:
- Head of Legal Services - bal.nahal@rotherham.gov.uk - Tel: 01709 823661
- S.151 Officer – judith.badger@rotherham.gov.uk - Tel: 01709 822046
- Head of Internal Audit – Louise.Ivens@rotherham.gov.uk - Tel: 01709 823282
- Assistant Director Human Resources – lynsey.linton@rotherham.gov.uk - Tel: 01709 914290
The four Whistleblowing Officers are responsible for the oversight and operation of the Whistleblowing Policy once a disclosure has been received by the Council.
Further, a person wishing to report any suspected wrongdoing may do so by contacting the Chief Executive as below, providing the information as set out above:
Chief Executive – sharon.kemp@rotherham.gov.uk – Tel: 01709 822770
4.2
Council employees are also entitled to make a Protected Disclosure through their manager if they feel confident in approaching their manager to report a concern or allegation of serious wrongdoing that falls under this policy. The manager must follow the obligation of confidentiality, but must, as soon as possible, and no later than 2 working days after receiving the Protected Disclosure, log the disclosure in accordance with 5.1 below, and then confirm to the employee concerned, in writing or by email, that this matter has been recorded.
4.3
In the event that an employee does not feel comfortable in making a disclosure internally to Council officers, they are entitled to also make a Protected Disclosure in a number of other different ways:-
- Local Councillors - Details of how to contact them and surgery hours are on the Council’s website www.rotherham.gov.uk;
- Grant Thornton - the Council’s External Auditors. They are completely independent from the Council and can be contacted on 0113 245 5514 or by writing to them at:
Grant Thornton
No 1, Whitehall Riverside
LEEDS.
LS1 4BN - Relevant professional bodies;
- Solicitors;
- South Yorkshire Police - Telephone: 101;
- Protect - An independent authority which seeks to ensure that concerns about malpractice are properly raised and addressed in the workplace. Contact details are on their website at https://www.protect-advice.org.uk
- By contacting the relevant prescribed person on the list at: Whistleblowing: list of prescribed people and bodies - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
4.4
Concerns about a child safeguarding issue, eg that a child may have suffered harm, neglect or abuse, can be reported to the Children’s Social Care Service on 01709 336080; or in an emergency contact South Yorkshire Police direct.
4.5
Adult safeguarding concerns can be reported to the Adult Care Service on 01709 822330, or in an emergency contact South Yorkshire Police direct.
