SIC adopts ‘family leave’ policy for councillors
SHETLAND Islands Council is to adopt new policy around family leave for elected members in a bid to encourage a more diverse range of people to stand for election in the future.
But Shetland South councillor Alex Armitage pressed for the guidance to offer an equal time of maternity and paternity leave.
The guidance, from local authority association COSLA, is intended to support councillors during periods of maternity, paternity, shared parental and adoption leave.
A report to councillors noted how at the moment there is no legal right to family leave of anyone in elected public office.
The objective of the guidance from COSLA is to formalise the basis on which councillors may be absent from their duties.
It aims to ensure that elected members can take appropriate leave at the time of birth or adoption, that both parents are able to take leave, and that reasonable and adequate arrangements are in place to provide cover.
At its core is that elected members “giving birth are entitled to up to six months maternity leave from 28 days before their due date”.
It adds: “Members shall be entitled to take a maximum of two weeks paternity leave if they are the biological father or nominated carer of their partner/spouse following the birth of their child(ren).”
SIC executive services manager Peter Peterson said the guidance was issued to all of Scotland’s councils.
He added that the local authority has been trying over the past number years to encourage a more diverse mix of people to stand for election.
“It’s hoped by adopting the family leave guidance as council policy, it might help to contribute to that work and encourage more folk to stand in the future,” Peterson said.
But Armitage suggested the council could be a “leader in gender equality” by offering more paternity leave for fathers.
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He said women are often encouraged by the system to “take lots of time off, which is quite right – but men are often encouraged to take a short period of time off”.
Lerwick South member John Fraser also asked “if SIC could be a leader in encouraging the diversity within the council chamber by establishing a sounding board to look at all opportunities to make elected office accessible to people of all genders and socio economic backgrounds and all ages”.
Fraser’s idea was taken on board, and legal chief Jan Riise said the sounding board might be the best avenue to explore the idea of increased paternity leave.
Riise suggested the route to get to that potential change was through COSLA itself.
Lerwick North and Bressay member Stephen Leask said he hoped the guidance could “encourage younger people of different genders to be involved in politics”.
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