If you are travelling outside of the UK on council business, read our Foreign Travel, gifts and hospitality policy (110KB) and consult the Government's Foreign travel advice for the specific countries that you are visiting. Travel to the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man and the Republic of Ireland counts as foreign travel.
As with UK travel, consider whether the purpose of any proposed foreign travel can be successfully accomplished by other means of communication.
The foreign travel, gifts and hospitality policy sets out how to deal with foreign travel, and any gifts and hospitality required or received when representing the council overseas, or to overseas' representatives.
Approval process for foreign travel and expenditure
All foreign travel must have prior approval from at least two of the following:
- Chief Executive
- Executive Director
- Corporate Services
- Monitoring Officer
Where the Executive Director, Corporate Services or the Monitoring Officer are travelling then their deputies may approve.
Requesting approval for overseas travel
You must complete the Request for Approval of Overseas Travel form. Only one form is needed per trip. No travel may be booked unless email approval has been given.
You will be expected to provide the following information for each trip:
- purpose and benefit of visit
- budgeted expenditure for known costs, such as hotels, flights, travel to and from airport, gifts, known in-country costs
- list of budgeted amounts and potential extra costs, such as tips, bottled water where necessary, taxis if needed and reasonable reciprocal hospitality
- any expected contingency for unanticipated, reasonable additional costs
Once the form is submitted and approval received, employees must make all possible purchases in advance of travel.
You must also email insurance@essex.gov.uk confirming the dates and location you are travelling. You will then be provided with details of your Business Travel Insurance, including emergency assistance numbers.
Upon return, you will be required to complete a further form to update any estimated costs with actual costs.
Booking overseas travel
Flights and hotel must be booked through the Travel Portal. More information can be found on the booking travel and accommodation page.