(Keys to the Kingdom & Supplier Instruction Procedures)
Supplier Instruction Policy: Receiving and Acting on Instructions from Councils
1. Purpose
To ensure that CloudyIT only acts on valid instructions from parish and town councils, in line with statutory governance and council procedures.
2. Policy Statement
CloudyIT will only accept and act upon instructions relating to changes in services, support, or supply for a council when those instructions are received from the council’s Proper Officer (usually the Clerk) or another officer with delegated authority. Individual councillors do not have authority to instruct suppliers directly.
3. Scope
This policy applies to all Cloudy IT staff and contractors providing services to parish and town councils.
4. Procedure
- Authorised Contacts:
- Only the Clerk, Responsible Financial Officer (RFO), or another officer named in writing by the council may issue instructions to CloudyIT.
- Instructions from individual councillors (unless specifically authorised in writing by a council resolution) must not be acted upon.
- If Proper Officer/Delegated Officer is Unavailable:
- If the Proper Officer or delegated officer is unavailable, CloudyIT will only act on instructions that are supported by a formal, minuted resolution of the full council.
- Written evidence of the council’s resolution (e.g. approved minutes or a signed extract) must be provided before any action is taken.
- Verification:
- If an instruction is received from a councillor, Cloudy IT must politely request written confirmation from the Clerk, RFO, or a copy of the relevant council resolution before proceeding.
- All instructions should be documented and retained for audit purposes.
- Escalation:
- If there is any doubt about the authority of the person giving the instruction, CloudyIT will refer the matter to the Clerk and will not proceed until written confirmation is received.
5. Rationale
This policy is based on:
- Local Government Act 1972, §101: Only the council as a body, or officers with delegated authority, may act on behalf of the council.
- NALC Legal Topic Note 9: Individual councillors have no executive authority to instruct suppliers.
- JPAG Practitioners’ Guide 2025: Proper procedures must be followed for all council business.
6. Example
If a councillor contacts Cloudy IT to request a change to the council’s IT Systems, Cloudy IT must ask the Clerk to confirm the request in writing. If the Clerk is unavailable, Cloudy IT must request a copy of the full council’s minuted resolution authorising the change before taking any action.
7. Review
This policy will be reviewed annually or when relevant legislation or council procedures change.
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