Staff face 'declare affair' rule

Union leaders say it would be "overkill" to approve the policy

More than 1,000 council staff face being forced to tell their bosses if they start an office affair.

Lancaster City Council's draft document - which has not yet been considered by councillors - has been described as "unprecedented" by union leaders.

Unison's North West regional officer, Richard Loder, said such a policy is "unnecessary" and should be rejected.

A city council spokeswoman was not willing to comment on the idea as councillors have not yet discussed it.

Mr Loder said he had received several calls from "worried" council staff about the idea, which is currently a "draft procedure on relationships".

What I would say to the council is 'let's do something more worthwhile with our time'. Richard Loder, Unison

"Members are worried about this idea because they feel the policy would be an unacceptable intrusion in to their private lives," he told BBC News Online.

"I have been telling them that as a branch we take the view that this is not only unjustified, but unnecessary, because there is a national policy on staff relationships already in existence.

"It concerns where people could be compromised by their relationship, such as when a staff member is married to the managing director."

He said such a policy would be "overkill" on the part of the council and said the union would be urging councillors to reject the idea.

Leaked information

"I've spoken to a colleague who works for a personnel magazine about this, and he tells me he has never come across anything like this - it is unprecedented," said Mr Loder.

"What I would say to the council is 'let's do something more worthwhile with our time'."

A council spokeswoman said the idea had been leaked and has not been officially published for consideration by councillors.

"We cannot comment on such a proposal [unless] a document on the idea comes to committee for consideration," she said.