Festive closure

We will close at 5pm on Tuesday 24 December 2024 and reopen at 9am Friday 3 January 2025. You can still submit complaints through our online form, but we won't respond until we reopen.

SPSO Policies

This page contains SPSO handbooks. Information below each link tells you the contents for each handbook.

Please contact us to request these documents in another format.

Information Governance (PDF, 988KB) 

  1. Records Management Plan
  2. Records Management Policy
  3. Business Classification Scheme
  4. Case File Management Guidance
  5. Retention and Disposal Policy
  6. Information Sharing Policy
  7. Electronic Information Sharing - eRDM Connect
  8. Records Management and Security Guidance: sharing information off-network and out-of-office
  9. Clear Desk and Screen Policy
  10. Protective Marking System
  11. Access to Information Legislation
  12. Data Protection Policy and Procedure
  13. Data Protection Legislation
  14. Subject Access Requests
  15. Data Protection Impact assessments:  process and supplementary guidance
  16. Protocol for data security incidents 
  17. SPSO Covert recording policy

Governance (PDF, 390KB)

  1. Governance Overview
  2. Scheme of Internal Control
  3. Governance Reporting Arrangements 
  4. Scheme of Delegation (PDF, 156KB)
  5. Code of Professional Conduct (incorporating the Register of Interests)
  6. Whistleblowing Policy (PDF, 682KB)
  7. Anti-Fraud Policy and Response Plan
  8. Anti-Bribery and Anti-Corruption Policy (incorporating Gifts and Hospitality)
  9. Incident Reporting

Risk Management (PDF, 203KB)

  1. Risk Management and Incident Reporting Policy

Finance Policies (PDF, 342KB)

  1. Overview
  2. Authority to purchase
  3. Separation of duties
  4. Legal obligations
  5. Procurement challenges and complaints
  6. Effective competition
  7. Procurement standards
  8. Procurement requiring tendering

Supplementary Finance Policies and Procedures including Budgetary Controls (PDF, 363KB)

  1. Procurement Procedure - Sustainable procurement, Disposal, SPSO credit card and Petty Cash
  2. Travel and expenses policy
  3. Gifts and hospitality
  4. Budgetary control and financial planning policy
  5. Budgetary control and financial planning procedure

Business Continuity Plan (PDF, 375KB)

  1. Business Continuity Policy
  2. Disruption to work - further policy information 
  3. Incident Response Plan

Bridgeside House - Health, Safety and Security (PDF, 936KB)

  1. Joint statement of principles
  2. General health and safety policy statement
  3. Health and safety policy statement
  4. Communication and consultation
  5. Information, instruction and training
  6. Monitoring, audit and review of safety performance
  7. Office-holder-specific policies for consideration

Mental Health and Wellbeing Framework (PDF, 521KB)

  1. Introduction
  2. Mental Health in the Workplace
  3. Why do we need this framework?
  4. Framework Structure
  5. Strategic Action Plan
  6. Measuring, Reviewing and Reporting the Framework

Climate Strategy (PDF, 936KB)

  1. Introduction
  2. Aims
  3. Background: climate change and its impact
  4. Public sector legislation and policy drivers
  5. Climate change targets: SPSO our progress so far
  6. Building on success: working towards our net zero ambition

Updated: December 12, 2024