The Inner Cabinet yesterday approved a new code of conduct for local authority employees, which will for the first time make it an offense for the workers to behave rudely.

Some 70,000 people work for local authorities and the new rules aim to encourage public servants to provide better services to the people who visit their offices.

The new set of rules means that if an employee is found to have failed to attend to someone or his/her behavior has prompted a complaint, they will face disciplinary measures.

Similar measures for civil servants were unveiled earlier this year by the government.

Under the new regulations, local authority workers will also be given incentives to develop their computer skills.