Certain posts are 'politically restricted', which means that individuals who hold them are effectively prevented from having any active political role either in or outside the workplace. This not only debars post holders from holding political office but also restricts them from canvassing or from speaking in public or publishing a work which might give the impression that they are advocating support for a political party.

Categories of Restricted Posts

If the post for which you are applying is defined as restricted it comes under one of the following general categories:

Specified Posts

For example: Head of Paid Service, Chief Officers, Monitoring Officer, Chief Finance Officer, Assistants to political groups

Posts Paid at or Above a Certain Level

All posts where the remuneration level is or exceeds the spinal column point 44 on the NJC for Local Government Services Scales.

Sensitive Posts

A sensitive post is one which meets one or both of the following duties-related criteria:

• Giving advice on a regular basis to the authority itself, to any committee or sub-committee of the authority or to any joint committee on which the authority are represented; or where the authority are operating executive arrangements, to the executive of the authority; to any committee of that executive, or to any member of that executive who is also a member of the authority.
• Speaking on behalf of the authority on a regular basis to journalists or broadcasters.

Exemptions

Teachers, headteachers and lecturers are all exempt from political restrictions and will not be regarded as holding Politically Restricted Posts whatever their role or remuneration level.

Further Information

The main provisions regarding Politically Restricted Posts are set out in Part 1 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989. Further details will be provided at interview and you will be given a copy of the Council’s Political Restrictions Policy.