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COUNCIL

DATE: 16TH JULY 2013

SUBJECT: STANDARDS REGIME/MEMBERS CODE OFCONDUCT

REPORT BY: HEAD OF POLICY AND PERFORMANCE -STANDARDS COMMITTEE

CONTACT OFFICER: EUNICE LEWIS 01582 547149

IMPLICATIONS:

LEGAL COMMUNITY SAFETY

EQUALITIES ENVIRONMENT

FINANCIAL CONSULTATIONS

STAFFING OTHER

WARDS AFFECTED: NONE

PURPOSE

1. The purpose of this report is to refer to the Council the recommendation (s) ofthe Standards Committee.

RECOMMENDATION(S) 

2. “That the Council be recommended to ensure that elected Members,whilst attending Council meetings, be cautious and sensitive regarding

the content of their tweets or access to social media networks; as thecontent could bring the Council and its elected Members into disrepute”.

REPORT

3. At its meeting on 12th June 2013, the Standards Committee considered an oralreport of the Monitoring Officer on the new Standards Regime and MembersCode of Conduct.

4. There was a general consensus by Members of the Committee that the

content of tweets by elected Members could bring the Council and its electedMembers into disrepute especially with regards to exempt information and also

AGENDA ITEM

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other sensitive matters discussed at a Council meeting; Members furtherquestioned whether the use of social media during Council meeting wascovered in the New Code of Conduct for Members and whether Membersshould be requested to sign the New Code.

5. Members also suggested that the Mayor at the commencement of a Councilmeeting be requested to make an announcement to ensure that all mobilephones were switched off and to ensure that elected Members and membersof the public refrain from social media access whilst a Council meeting was inprogress.

6. Following consideration of the matter and members concerns about theconduct of some elected Members regarding the use of mobile phones andaccess to social media networks including tweeting whilst a Council meetingwas in progress, the Standards Committee resolved as follows:

“That the Council be recommended to ensure that elected Members,whilst attending Council meetings, be cautious and sensitive regardingthe content of their tweets or access to social media networks; as thecontent could bring the Council and its elected Members into disrepute”.

LEGAL IMPLICATIONS

7.  The art of twitting or accessing social media sites would unlikely in itselfamount to a breach of the code of conduct for Members. The content of thetwit or the material published on social media sites may however amount to abreach of the code. This was agreed with David Watson, Principal Solicitor inLegal Services on 4th July 2013.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

8. There are no financial implications to this report and this was agreed with theHead of Corporate Finance on 8th July 2013.

PROPOSAL/OPTION

9. That the Council receive the Recommendations of the Standards Committee

from their meeting on 12

th

June 2013.

LIST OF BACKGROUND PAPERSLOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT 1972, SECTION 100D

Standards Committee Minute No. SC/08/13