Somerset Council could tighten its gifts and hospitality rules after it emerged one of its officers had been left £1,000 in a resident's will.

The bequest, made by the granddaughter of a man supported by the council's adults and health team for five years, was disclosed in the authority's latest six-month register of officer gifts worth £25 or more.

Under council rules, staff must declare any such gifts within 28 days and notify the monitoring officer to avoid any future conflict of interest.

The matter was discussed at a standards committee meeting in Taunton on Thursday, 22 January, where independent member Paul Hooper said: "I am quite staggered to see that a bequest in a will was put down and included in this list."

Councillor Frances Nicholson (Conservative, Dulverton and Exmoor) said the policy should change, encouraging future gifts to go to local charities instead.

Calls for reform

Monitoring officer Alyn Jones said the report showed transparency and praised officers for complying with the process.

Democratic services chief Scott Wooldridge noted staff can suggest donations be made to the council chairman's chosen annual charity, but added: "Ultimately, we are still dependent on the individual taking that choice."

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Cllr Nicholson said she remained "uncomfortable" with officers accepting significant gifts and referenced a past case at Dunkirk Memorial House in Bishops Lydeard, where an inheritance led to a staff member losing their job under stricter rules.

The report listed a broad range of officer gifts, including:

• Coldplay concert tickets won in a coach firm competition

• VIP Glastonbury Festival tour passes

• T20 cricket tickets from Somerset County Cricket Club

Other items included hampers, flowers, gift cards and hospitality at local government events.

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Original reporting: Daniel Mumby/LDRS