Politically Restricted Posts - Police Staff

1. Statement of Policy

The public expects the highest standards of integrity and behaviour from the police service. It is vital that members of Dyfed-Powys Police secure and maintain the confidence of the communities they serve in line with the standards of professional behaviour.

Dyfed-Powys Police need to protect the interests and integrity of all police officers and certain members of police staff in relation to potential allegations of political bias or favour that could arise through any political affiliations or activity.

Applies (but not limited) to: Certain police staff only.

2. Policy Scope

This policy applies to certain roles of police staff under the direction and control of the Chief Constable.

Police Officers are not covered by the provisions of the Local Government Housing Act 1989. However, Regulation 6 (schedule 1) of the Police Regulations 2003 sets out specific restricted on the private life of officers.

These restricted should be read in conjunction with the Code of Ethics which outline the expect standards of professional behaviour which applies to all staff and officers.

 

3. Powers and Policy/Legal Requirements

In 1989, the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 (LGHA 1989) introduced the principle of ‘politically restricted posts’ and of restricting the political activities of local authority employees.

The Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009 S30 makes amendments to the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 in respect of the approach to identifying posts which are politically restricted by removing the duty to maintain a list of post earning above a nominated salary. This took effect from 12 January 2010 with the result that authorities needed to review the posts previously considered to be politically restricted by virtue of salary level to assess whether they should be genuinely politically restricted by virtue of the duties they perform.

Politically restricted posts fall into two main categories: specified posts and sensitive posts.

The effect of occupying a politically restricted post is to prevent the individual from having any active political role either in or outside of the workplace.

Politically restricted employees will automatically be disqualified from standing for or holding elected office as:

• local councillors  
• MPs  
• MEPs  
• Members of the Welsh Government  
• Members of the Scottish Parliament  

They are also restricted from canvassing on behalf of a political party or a person who is or seeks to be a candidate and speaking to the public at large or publishing any written or artistic work that could give the impression that they are advocating support for a political party. 

The cumulative effect of these restrictions is to limit the holders of Politically Restricted Posts to bare membership of political parties, with no active participation within the party permitted. 

Specified Posts [Statutory and non-statutory Chief Officers, Departmental Heads (officers reporting to a Chief Officer) and officers exercising delegated powers]. This posts are listed as follows: - 

Director of Finance

Director of People & Organisation Development

Head of ICT

Head of HR Service Delivery

Head of Legal Services

Head of Corporate Finance

Head of Corporate Communications

Head of Procurement & Contracts

Head of Forensic Services

Head of Contact and Incident Management

Head of Estates

Head of Fleet Services

Head of Talent

Sensitive Posts [posts giving advice on a regular basis to the organisation itself or, to any committee or board of the organisation or speaking on the behalf of the organisation on a regular basis to journalists or broadcasters]. These posts are listed as follows: -

Senior Manager Health, Safety & Sustainability

Senior Manager Recruitment.

Senior Manager Succession Planning and Reward

Senior Manager Financial systems.

Senior Manager Professional Standards

Senior ICT Operational Manager (Delivery)

Senior ICT Operational Manager (Support)

Senior ICT Applications Manager

Senior Manager Occupational Health & Wellbeing

Equality, Diversity & Welsh Language Manager

Solicitor

Senior Communications Officer

Communications Officer [formerly Press Officer]

Force Crime Registrar

Information Manager

Senior Manager Governance and Change

Senior Manager Digital Forensics

Senior Manager Performance and Analytics

Senior Manager Forensic Operations

Senior Facilities Manager

Senior Manager Scientific Support

 

4. Options and Contingencies

Responsibilities

All police staff are responsible for complying with the requirements set out in this policy if occupying a politically restricted post.

Line Managers are responsible for: -

• Identifying, in conjunction with support from People & Organisation Development, whether any new or amended post meets the definition of a specified or sensitive post.
• Informing staff recruited to politically restricted posts and staff already occupying posts that become politically restricted how this policy affects them before appointment or any change in classification.

People & Organisation Development are responsible for:

• Identifying, in conjunction with line managers, whether any new or amended post meets the definition of a specified or sensitive post.
• Ensuring that job descriptions, recruitment adverts and offers of employment state if a post is politically restricted.
• Informing the Head of HR Service Delivery that a role is to be included in the policy. 

The following Code of Ethic principles are relevant to this policy and procedure.

• Courage
• Respect and Empathy
• Public Service

This policy and the accompanying procedure aims to support the delivery of Our Plan and Our Culture Pledge.

 

5. Take action and review

This policy will be reviewed periodically to ensure its effectiveness, and feedback will be sought from key stakeholders and the wider police force.

Any feedback or dissatisfaction with the policy will be recorded and discussed with the policy owner and appropriate action taken.

CODE OF ETHICS CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE

This policy has been drafted in accordance with the Code of Ethics and has been reviewed on the basis of its content and the supporting evidence and it is deemed compliant with that Code and the principles underpinning it.

HUMAN RIGHTS ACT CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE

This policy has been drafted in accordance with the Human Rights Act and has been reviewed on the basis of its content and the supporting evidence and it is deemed compliant with that Act and the principles underpinning it.

EQUALITY IMPACT ASSESSMENT

Section 4 of the Equality Act 2010 sets out the protected characteristics that qualify for protection under the Act as follows: Age; Disability; Gender Reassignment; Marriage and Civil Partnership; Pregnancy and Maternity; Race; Religion or Belief; Sex; Sexual Orientation.

The public sector equality duty places a proactive legal requirement on public bodies to have regard, in the exercise of their functions, to the need to:

• eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation, and any other conduct that is unlawful under the Act;
• advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it;
• foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it.

The equality duty applies to all protected characteristics with the exception of Marriage and Civil Partnership, to which only the duty to have regard to the need to eliminate discrimination applies.

Carrying out an equality impact assessment involves systematically assessing the likely or actual effects of policies on people in respect of all the protected characteristics set out above. An equality impact assessment should be carried out on any policy that is relevant to the public sector equality duty. 

EQUALITY IMPACT ASSESSMENT COMPLETED: June 2026