Policies & Procedures

LEADENHAM PARISH COUNCIL

Communications Policy

This Policy is designed to assist Parish Councillors and staff to effectively communicate with the general public and each other.

Parish Council Email Account Clerk@leadenham-pc.gov.uk

The above email account is the main source of information coming into parish council from external bodies.

Parish council correspondence

• The point of contact for the Parish Council is the Clerk, and it is to the Clerk that all correspondence for Parish Council should be addressed. In certain circumstances it is agreed by council resolution that individual Councillors’ may be the point of contact; all such correspondence must be copied to the Clerk via the Clerk email account.
• The Clerk should deal with all correspondence following a meeting in a timely manner.
• Communications are not routinely copied to Councillors Parish Council email addresses. Relevant email communications will be forwarded to Councillors for information and to provide correspondence for consideration at meetings.
• No individual Councillors or Officer should be the sole custodian of any correspondence or information in the name of Parish Council, a committee, sub-committee or working party. Councillors and Officers do not have a right to obtain confidential information/documentation unless they can demonstrate a ‘need to know’.
• Where necessary, official letters should be sent by the clerk in the name of parish council using council letter headed paper.
• Where correspondence from the Clerk to a Councillors is copied to another person, the addressee should be made aware that a copy is being forwarded to that other person
• All correspondence between Councillors relating to Parish Council matters to be copied to the Clerk using the Clerk email address.
• In the interests of transparency, incoming/outgoing correspondence will not be regarded as private and confidential in terms of it being of restricted availability to Councillors and the Clerk even where this may have been requested by the originator, except where this conflicts with the data protection act.
• Correspondence, including e-mails should be replied to as soon as it is practicably possible. If this is a substantial period of time a “holding letter/e-mail” should be sent

Agenda items for council, committees, sub-committees and working parties

• The agenda should be clear and concise. It should contain sufficient information to enable Councillors’ to make an informed decision, and for the public to understand what matters are being considered and what decisions are to be taken at a meeting.
• Items for information should be kept to a minimum on an agenda.
• Where the clerk or a Councillor wishes fellow Councillors to receive matters for “information only”, this information will be circulated via the clerk.

Communication with the Press and Public

• The clerk will clear all press reports, or comments to the media, including social media, with the Chair of Council or the Chair of the relevant committee.
• Press reports from Parish Council or its Committees should be from the Clerk or an Officer or via the reporter’s own attendance at a meeting.
• Unless a Councillor has been authorised by Parish Council to speak to the media, including social media, on a particular issue, Councillors who are asked for comment by the press should make it clear that it is a personal view and ask that it must be clearly reported as their personal view.
• If Councillors receive a complaint from a member of the public, this should be dealt with under Parish Council adopted Complaints Procedure, or via a Council agenda item.

Councillors correspondence to external parties

• As the Clerk should be sending most of the Council correspondence from a Councillors to other bodies, it needs to be made clear that it is written in their official capacity and has been authorised by Parish Council.
• A copy of all outgoing correspondence relating to parish council or a Councillor’s role within it, should be sent to the clerk, and it be noted on the correspondence, e.g. “copy to the clerk” so that the recipient is aware that the clerk has been advised.

Communications with parish council staff

• Councillors must not give instructions to any member of staff, unless authorised to do so either by a Committee or with appropriate delegated powers from the council.
• No individual Councillors, regardless of whether or not they are the Chair of Parish Council or the Chair of a Committee may give instructions to the clerk or to another staff which are inconsistent or conflict with Parish Council decisions or arrangements for delegated power.
• Telephone calls should be appropriate to the work of the Parish Council.
• E-mails: Instant replies should not be expected from the clerk; reasons for urgency should be stated
• Wherever possible meetings with the Clerk and other officers should be made via prior appointment.
• Meetings should be relevant to the work of that particular officer.
• Councillors should be clear that the matter is legitimate council business and not matters driven by personal or political agenda.