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This protocol is aimed at both Councillors and Council officers who may come into contact with the media during the course of their work and duties. It covers procedures and protocols on:
The protocol is governed by the provisions in the Local Government Act 1986, the Local Government Act 1988, the Local Government Act 2000, and the Code of Recommended Practice on Local Authority Publicity (revised version March 2011).
The Council has a Communications and Public Relations Manager in Corporate Services whose role is to increase public awareness of the Council’s services and functions and help explain to the public and stakeholders what the Council’s priorities are, and how they will be delivered.
The Communications and Public Relations Manager fulfils this role in part through issuing news releases and by responding to media enquiries in consultation with the Leader/Deputy Leader, relevant Cabinet Member(s), Corporate Directors and the Chief Executive where necessary. It also involves facilitating briefings, press conferences and other events when required.
The Communications and Public Relations Manager provides Councillors and officers with support on communication issues that relate to the Council. The Communications and Public Relations Manager also promotes Council business and other activities through media releases and publications, quoting the Leader/Deputy Leader, relevant Cabinet Member and officers of the Council (where appropriate), partner organisations and/or service users where appropriate.
In the absence of the Communications and Public Relations Manager, any enquiries should be forwarded to the Communications Officer.
The Council is committed to effective communication so that Tendring residents are well informed about the services that affect their lives on a day to day basis. The local media plays a valuable role, including the ability to reach large numbers of local residents.
The Council aims to provide a service to the media which is built on a basic principle of wanting to be proactive, open, transparent and honest. It is also the aim to facilitate photographic opportunities, interviews and other reasonable requests.
All media enquiries are initially dealt with by the Communications and Public Relations Manager and any Officer receiving enquiries from the media should direct them to him/her. Requests for comments or quotes are then decided in consultation with the Leader/Deputy Leader, relevant Cabinet Member(s), Chief Executive and Corporate Director when necessary.
There are also occasions where the media will go direct to Councillors regarding Council business and the Communications and Public Relations Manager is there to assist if requested to do so.
It is the Communications and Public Relations Manager’s responsibility to promote the reputation of the Council, respond in a timely and effective way to media enquiries, respect the confidential nature of information which is retained by the Council on individual cases or other matters which are officially specified as confidential.
The media will sometimes attend meetings of the Full Council, Cabinet and committees. To ensure they are able to report these meetings effectively it is important to supply them with the necessary paperwork.
It is intended that all meeting papers will be made available to the media via the Council’s website five working days before the meeting concerned.
Staff provide assistance to members of the media who attend open meetings of the Council. They and the committee clerks must ensure that the media in attendance have all the relevant papers, particularly those additional papers which may have been issued on the day.
Motions and questions of a political nature from individual Councillors shown on the agenda will not be publicised through Council news releases.
A reporter who has not attended the meeting and wants to find out what was decided should contact the Communications and Public Relations Manager who will then provide information after consulting with the Leader/Deputy Leader, Cabinet Member and Head of Department/Corporate Director.
Cabinet Members will be consulted on all issues within their Portfolio, in terms of press releases. They should not personally issue press releases to the media without prior consultation with, and the agreement of, the Leader/Deputy Leader. If a Cabinet Member carries out a media interview they should consult with the Leader/Deputy Leader prior to the interview.
The Chairman (and in his/her absence, the Vice-Chairman) shall be involved in the promotion of civic and ceremonial events on behalf of the Council, and other promotional activities undertaken in his/her capacity as Chairman of the Council will be publicised as appropriate. The Leader/Deputy Leader will again be consulted before any releases on behalf of the Chairman/Vice-Chairman are issued.
It is the role of officers to provide factual information to Councillors and the Communications and Public Relations Manager for the production of press releases. No officer, other than the Communications and Public Relations Manager, or their stand-in, should issue releases.
The drafting of a news release can be requested by the Leader/Deputy Leader, Cabinet Members, the Chief Executive, Corporate Directors in consultation with their Cabinet Members, or they can be initiated by the Communications and Public Relations Manager.
The Council is prohibited by the Local Government Act 1986 from publishing material that appears to be designed to affect public support for a political party.
It should be made clear in any Council press release that it originates from the Council’s Communications and Public Relations Manager. This format is not available to Councillors and if they wish to issue personal/political statements, this should be done using Council headed notepaper, making it clear it is issued by that Councillor and making it clear the views expressed are their own or of a political group or other organisation.
All news releases must be cleared with a Corporate Director, Leader/Deputy Leader, the relevant Cabinet Member and any Councillor quoted in the release. If the appropriate Councillor is unavailable within the necessary timescale, it will be referred to the Leader/Deputy Leader. In that instance the Leader/Deputy Leader will be quoted and not the Councillor.
Press Releases will often contain quotations (within the limits of the Local Government Act 1986) from the Leader/Deputy Leader, a Cabinet Member, the Chairman or Vice-Chairman of Overview and Scrutiny Committees or one of the other regulatory committees, or from the Chairman or Vice-Chairman of the Council (normally in respect of ceremonial events). Such press releases are issued on behalf of the Council and therefore it is not appropriate to indicate the political party of any Councillor quoted.
In some cases it will be necessary for a Corporate Director or another officer to be quoted for an operational or background viewpoint, as well as the Cabinet’s viewpoint. This will be determined in consultation with the Leader/Deputy Leader and relevant Cabinet Member. The officer’s title will always be incorporated with the quote.
News releases issued in partnership with other organisations should be encouraged where appropriate. The Leader/Deputy Leader and relevant Cabinet Member will be consulted as usual and can comment on the District Council’s involvement.
When the Council is working in an emergency situation, arrangements are put in place with the other agencies involved. A Press Officer from one or more of the agencies will deal with the media.
During an emergency clear guidance on who the media contacts are will be issued to Councillors and officers.
Where there is an issue of significant local interest, particularly where this interest is newsworthy and likely to result in press coverage, then the relevant Corporate Director should ensure that the relevant Cabinet Member, Ward Councillor and Communications and Public Relations Manager are made aware. This will enable all interested parties to be prepared for the likely media attention.
Embargoes should only be used when considered essential. This would most typically be when a news release is linked to a launch event, when an issue of confidentiality requires it, or when a third party requires it. Embargoes are not legally enforceable and are adhered to by general agreement.
Anyone quoted in press releases - as well as all Tendring District Councillors - will be sent the release by email at the same time that it is sent out to the media. They also go out to the Chief Executive and Corporate Directors, and are uploaded onto the intranet and internet. The normal means of distributing news releases to the media is by email.
Wherever possible, news releases should be accompanied by either the offer of a photo opportunity which is likely to be of interest to the media, or a relevant photograph.
All initiating contact with the media at an officer level will be carried out by the Communications and Public Relations Manager. Councillors are free to contact the media themselves but Cabinet Members should seek clearance from the Leader/Deputy Leader.
The Communications and Public Relations Manager will respond to enquiries as promptly as possible, taking into account the media’s deadlines.
Information will be obtained from Corporate Directors and the response will be discussed with the Leader/Deputy Leader and relevant Cabinet Members.
The Leader/Deputy Leader or Cabinet Member will be quoted unless otherwise directed.
The Council will follow the guidelines contained in the Code of Practice on Local Government publicity:
“During the period between the notice of an election and the election itself, local authorities should not publish any publicity on controversial issues or report views or proposals in such a way that it identifies them with any individual members or groups of members. Publicity relating to individuals involved directly in the election should not be published by local authorities during this period unless expressly authorised by or under statute. It is permissible for local authorities to publish factual information which identifies the names, wards and parties of candidates at elections.
"In general, local authorities should not issue any publicity which seeks to influence voters.”
Any Council information provided to a Councillor or officer must only be used by the Councillor/officer in connection with their proper performance of their duties as a Member/officer of the Council. Confidential information should not be disclosed to the media, discussed with or released to any other persons.
Leaking of confidential information, exempt items and minutes to the media – or public criticism of the Council or individual officers – is viewed seriously as there is a responsibility to protect the Council’s reputation. Breaches will result in disciplinary action.
However, there will be occasions where the employee unions wish to communicate a particular comment to the media in relation to issues rather than individual cases, on behalf of itself and its members.
There are mechanisms in place for complaining about issues and situations arising in the workplace and individual employees should refer to the procedures laid out in the appropriate policies (for example grievance, harassment at work, appeals and whistleblowing) available on the intranet or from Human Resources. If in doubt about how to raise concerns employees should seek advice.
Similarly, it is accepted that there will be occasions when opposition Councillors will want to comment on particular issues.