Community & Social Policy

1. Local

1.1     This Policy contains Macclesfield 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.

1.2     The Policy supports and complements the authority’s Environmental; Equality; Personnel; Information & Data Protection; and Customer Care policies.

1.3     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.

1.4     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 our partners in statutory, voluntary and private sectors to ensure the best outcomes for the people of Macclesfield
• Coordinate its activities to further the aims of the adopted strategies that support the Town

2. Global

2.1  Macclesfield Town Council will also strive to set a good example by following established ethical guidelines 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.

2.2  In particular the Council will:-

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

2.3  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.