Adopted: 15 December 2025 • Review: November 2027

1.     Introduction and Definition

  • This document presents a basic set of good practice guidelines to enable the employees of Perranzabuloe Parish Council (PPC) to work remotely.
  • Remote working allows employees to work at locations other than the office, either occasionally or regularly, instead of PPC premises. This arrangement may permit employees to start or end their day remotely, offering a flexible approach to completing work tasks.
  • Councillors may require employees to adhere to regular business hours, including core hours, while working remotely. Employees must inform councillors and colleagues if they are unavailable for any portion of the workday. Employees are advised to use Microsoft Teams and the Outlook Calendar.
  • Employees are reminded that deliberately falsifying records or failing to work the required hours while working remotely constitutes a disciplinary offence.
  • At times, PPC may require remote working due to emergency needs or legal requirements, which is not considered “flexible” remote working.

2.    Approving a Remote Working Arrangement

  • Remote working is available to eligible employees whose job roles support remote work, pending the needs of PPC and subject to prior approval by the Staffing Committee. Occasional remote working can be approved by the Clerk.
  • Employees must obtain prior approval the Staffing Committee to use a remote location as a starting and finishing base. Remote work may also be appropriate in adverse weather conditions.
  • Employees should demonstrate their ability to:
  • Work independently and take initiative
  • Stay motivated
  • Complete projects within deadlines
  • Manage workload efficiently
  • Adapt to new work practices
  • Maintain contact with the team

3.    Other Employees

  • Employees outside of the Office team may request to work remotely on an ad-hoc basis, following a written request and meeting policy conditions. Approval is at the discretion of the Staffing Committee, and remote working is not an automatic right.

4.    Responsibilities

  • Employer Responsibilities
    • Health & Safety: PPC will ensure, as far as reasonably practical, the health, safety, and welfare of all employees, including those working remotely, per the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974.
    • Equipment: PPC will provide necessary equipment for remote working (such as laptops, monitors, office chairs and desks) Also see Clause 5.
    • Insurance: PPC accepts liability for accidents which are proven to have been caused by the authorised use of equipment provided by them in line with any instructions issued.
    • Running Costs and Expenses: Employees working remotely voluntarily will not receive contributions towards remote running costs like broadband, heating, or lighting.
  • Employee Responsibilities
    • Health & Safety: Employees must complete a risk assessment of their remote work environment, including a DSE assessment (http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/ck1.pdf).
    • Accidents and Incidents: Employees must report any accidents, incidents, or dangerous occurrences to their line manager immediately and follow up with the appropriate paperwork on returning to the workplace.
    • Policies and Procedures: PPC policies and procedures apply to all PPC-related work, including tasks completed remotely.
    • Data Protection, Security & Confidentiality: Remote work must maintain document security and confidentiality, as per GDPR and PPC’s IT policy. Data Protection training will be given, and must be refreshed annually.
    • Remote Access: Employees are to use PPC-issued laptops and Office 365 accounts for remote work and must follow data protection protocols.
    • Broadband Connection: A reliable broadband connection is required to prevent disruptions to PPC services.

5.    Equipment

  • Requests for equipment required to facilitate remote working must be submitted in writing to the Clerk. All expenditure will be approved in accordance with PPC’s Financial Regulations: expenditure of £500 or below (including VAT) may be approved by the Clerk; expenditure above £500 and up to £5,000 must be approved by the Staffing Committee; and expenditure above £5,000 must be approved by Full Council.
  • Employees are responsible for replacing any PPC-owned equipment they lose or damage if not covered by insurance.
  • Any equipment provided to you by PPC for the purposes of remote working, (including but not limited to laptops, furniture, monitors, peripherals, and mobile devices) remains the property of PPC at all times. You are responsible for taking reasonable care of this equipment and ensuring it is used in accordance with PPC policies. All such equipment must be returned in good working order upon request, or immediately upon the termination of your employment with PPC.
  1. Review and Amendment of Practice
  • This policy will be reviewed annually to ensure compliance with current regulations and presented for approval by the Staffing Committee.

7.    Alternative Formats & Queries

If you need this document in a different format or have questions about this policy, please contact: admin@perranzabuloe-pc.gov.uk.