Communications Policy
Last Reviewed: January 2024
Next review: January 2026
1. Town Council Correspondence
2. Agenda Items for Council, Committees, Sub-Committees and Working Parties
3. Communications with the Press and Public
4. Councillor Correspondence to External Parties
5. Communications with Town Council Staff
6. Social Media
1. Town Council Correspondence
The point of contact for Spilsby Town Council is the Town Clerk, and it is to the Town Clerk that all correspondence for the Council should be addressed.
The Town Clerk shall deal with all correspondence following a meeting.
No individual Councillor or Officer shall be the sole custodian of any correspondence or information in the name of the Town Council, a Committee, Sub-Committee or Working Party. In particular, Councillors and Officers do not have a right to obtain confidential information/documentation unless they can demonstrate a ‘need to know’.
All official correspondence should be sent by the Clerk in the name of the Town Council using Council letter headed paper.
Where correspondence from the Town Clerk to a Councillor is copied to another person, the addressee should be made aware that a copy is being forwarded to that other person (e.g. copy to XX).
2. Agenda Items for Council, Committees, Sub-Committees and Working Parties
Agenda items are controlled by the relevant section of the Town Council’s Standing Orders.
Agenda items should be clear and concise. They 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 Town Clerk or a Councillor wishes fellow Councillors to receive matters for ‘information only’, this information will be circulated via the Town Clerk.
3. Communications with the Press and Public
The Town Clerk will clear all press reports, or comments to the media, with the Chair of the Council or the Chair of the relevant Committee.
Press reports from the Council, its Committees or Working Parties should be from the Town Clerk or an Officer or via the reporter’s own attendance at a meeting. Reports from Officers should be sent to the Town Clerk who will clear them and send them to the press.
Unless a Councillor has been authorised by the Town Council to speak to the 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 be clearly reported as their personal view.
Unless a Councillor is absolutely certain that they are reporting the view of the Council, they must make it clear to members of the public that they are expressing a personal view.
If Councillors receive a complaint from a member of the public, this should be dealt with under the Council’s adopted Complaints Procedure, or via a Council Agenda item.
4. Media Councillor Correspondence to External Parties
As the Town Clerk should be sending most of the Council’s correspondence from a Councillor to other bodies, it needs to be made clear that it is written in their official capacity and has been authorised by Spilsby Town Council.
A copy of all outgoing correspondence relating to the 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 Town Clerk’ so that the recipient is aware that the Clerk has been advised.
5. Communications with Town Council Staff
Town Councillors must not give instructions to any member of staff unless authorised to do so (e.g. three or more Councillors sitting as a Committee or Sub-Committee with appropriate delegated powers from the Council, as detailed in the Council’s Standing Orders).
No individual Councillor, regardless of whether or not they are the Chair of the Council, the Chair of a Committee or other meeting, or are styled ‘Leader’ of the Council, may give instructions to the Town Clerk, or to another employee, which are inconsistent or conflict with Council decisions or arrangements for delegated power.
Telephone calls should be appropriate to the work of the Town Council.
Emails
• Instant replies should not be expected from the Town Clerk. Reasons for urgency should be stated.
• Information to Councillors should normally be directed via the Town Clerk.
• Emails from Councillors to external parties should be copied to the Town Clerk.
• Councillors should acknowledge their emails when requested to do so.
Meetings with the Town Clerk or other Officers
• Wherever possible an appointment should be made.
• 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 agendas.
6. Social Media
Social Media and Electronic Communications are covered in a separate Town Council Policy.