COUNCIL workers in Darlington are to be encouraged to use the authority's whistle-blowing policy.

Councillors set up a Confidential Reporting Policy in 1999 to allow workers to voice concerns about criminal and inappropriate activities within the authority in secret.

The policy ensures that the person making a complaint is protected from dismissal, bullying or demotion because of what they have said.

But since the policy, nicknamed whistle blowing, was introduced in Darlington it has not been used by a single employee.

Because of this the policy is being reviewed by the council's standards committee which meets next week.

In his report to the committee, council officer Peter Kearsley said: "The reasons why no use has been made of the arrangements needs to be explored because it would be unusual if, over a three-year period, no issues were to arise in an organisation of the complexity of the borough council."

At next week's meeting, the committee will discuss whether every member of council staff, including contractors, should be given a copy of the policy so they are aware it exists. It has also been suggested that the anonymity of people's complaints should be stressed to encourage more people to come forward.

However, the possibility of appointing an independent person to receive complaints was not recommended by Mr Kearsley.

The issues will all be discussed with the unions before any decisions are made.