Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council (SMBC) staff are set to be banned from using smart glasses as part of changes to the code of conduct they must follow.

The glasses have made headlines this year as they have been used to harass women and girls in particular through the filming without their consent and the footage being shared.

And the storm of controversy has led to them being labelled 'pervert glasses'.

At the latest meeting of the authority's governance committee officer Helen Sherlock went through a number of proposed changes to the authority's code of conducts for staff which includes:

• Additional wording added on the prohibition of portable recording devices and covert recording including AI glasses
• Adding the whistleblowing procedure as an option if an employee felt unable to raise the matter with the designated safeguarding lead or headteacher
• All employees should disclose if they have been the subject of a police enquiry, not just arrested
• Strengthened disclosure requirements for second jobs and voluntary work including the need to declare if any complaints, safeguarding or conduct concerns are raised

The code of conduct already says the council does not permit "covert recording under any circumstances" and "employees must not make, or attempt to make, secret recordings, photographs, video recordings or live transmissions of colleagues, service users, children, young people or adults with care and support needs".

The proposed new line says: "This (devices) includes, but is not limited to, smart watches, AI-enabled glasses, body-worn devices, mobile phones and other wearable recording technology (unless there is a disability-related reasonable adjustment agreed with the council to wear them)."

Cllr James Bradley, chairman of the committee, said: "I think the wording (on covert recordings) is very good.

"We have an evolving landscape in terms of technology. These glasses go by a rather different name in the news these days."

Wider discussions were had about the use of secret recordings generally with Cllr Samantha Gethen asking: "My understanding is, in some cases bullying cases for instance sometimes recordings feature quite heavily in proving what has happened to members of staff.

"If you had someone experiencing that and they had a recording, would they face sanctions?"

The officer replied: "In the policy we have been clear around covert recording because this is a conversation that comes up time and time again.

"We have had situations where that has happened.

"Whilst you can't, not take something into account you have got, there is the possibility of the employee then facing some form of action for the recording."

Later, Cllr Max McLoughlin said: "The law around this is ultimately you do have the right to record something in the event a law is being breached.

"I think this is the issue – how do we reconcile this with the whistleblowing policy?

"If I as an employee are being abused by a member of staff the likelihood is they are not going to be doing that in front of other people.

"We are ultimately saying we are not giving you the right to collect evidence. This is one thing I have a little bit of concern about. It is a developing matter."

Cllr Bradley said: "I think the key thing is making sure whistleblower protections are still in there.

"As long as those protections are ensured so people can whistleblow when there is actual wrongdoing happening in the council."

At the meeting, held on September 24, it was agreed the proposed code of conduct changes come back before the committee at a future meeting before being agreed.