Roundtable between the Pubs Code Adjudicator and Code Compliance Officers - December 2024
Notes of the meeting held in Birmingham on 9 December 2024. The second roundtable was organised by the PCA to discuss the role of the Code Compliance Officer in increasing and improving awareness of Pub Code rights, as part of a programme of roundtables to gather and exchange good practice ideas and examples to support mutual learning across pub companies.
Objective of the roundtable
The second roundtable was organised by the PCA to discuss the role of the Code Compliance Officer in increasing and improving awareness of Pub Code rights, as part of a programme of roundtables to gather and exchange good practice ideas and examples to support mutual learning across pub companies.
Attendees
James Richards (Stonegate), Donna Gracey (Punch), Claire Coley (Marston’s), Julie Jolly (Greene King), Lynne Winter (Star Pubs), Scott Saunders (Admiral) and Fiona Dickie (the Pubs Code Adjudicator) and staff from the PCA office.
Key points
The meeting focused on the role and independence of the CCO and enhancing tenant and colleague understanding of the Pubs Code.
1. Enhancing tenant understanding of the role of the CCO and the Pubs Code
A key discussion point was the approach to educating tenants on their rights and the Code. The CCOs shared their company strategies, which included induction programs that cover tenants’ rights, detailed Code training sessions, and regular communications such as newsletters, updates, and factsheets. These resources – issued at various time points within the tenant journey - are designed to ensure that tenants are aware of their rights and understand how to access support.
2. Enhancing colleague understanding of the role of the CCO and the Pubs Code
POBs further described how those within their business are trained on the Pubs Code to ensure the Code is understood and practiced across their businesses, such as through inductions for new staff, regular re-training and written materials available year-round. Many POBs have embedded CCOs within their senior leadership teams, providing them with direct access to key decision-makers. Some POBs have introduced compliance champions across various departments to further strengthen engagement and facilitate cross-department communication on compliance matters.
3. Independence of the CCO
The 2024 survey results regarding understanding of the CCO role were considered. It was agreed that case studies could have value in showcasing the positive impact of the CCO’s interventions, showing CCO effectiveness and increasing awareness across the industry.
Within the meeting, the need for the independence of the CCO in their role was discussed. Maintaining impartiality within the POB, particularly in situations where conflicts of interest may arise (e.g. actual or potential legal proceedings), was highlighted as a key topic. The PCA reminded the meeting of the statutory role of the CCO and the importance of keeping records sufficient to show the role is being effectively discharged.
4. Next steps
Looking forward, CCOs will continue their efforts to raise awareness of their role. Plans include promoting the CCO role through the British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) in the new year. These initiatives aim to further improve communication, understanding, and visibility of the CCO role within the industry.
A quarterly meeting schedule was agreed, with the next roundtable set for March 2025.