Issue - meetings

The Committee considered and supported the recommendations of the Local Joint Panel meeting held on 19 February 2013 on the Social Media Use Policy.

RESOLVED – the Social Media Use Policy, as now submitted be approved.

The Chief Executive and Director of Customer and Community Services submitted a report which established a policy aimed at providing guidance on the personal and business use (on behalf of the Council) of social media. 

The Acting Head of People Services summarised the content of the report, the detail of which was set out in the report now submitted and Essential Reference Paper “B”.  Of particular concern was the use of social media, (which could be used unwittingly), by employees outside of work to bring the Council into disrepute and of the need to manage social media usage. 

Councillor M Alexander referred to the dangers of “tweeting” and the need to think before comments were added as these could be considered as an endorsement of comments which might have been mentioned earlier in a “tweet”.  In response to a query from Councillor M Alexander regarding employees who might have left the Council’s employment, the Acting Head of People Services stated that the policy only covered those individuals who were currently within the Council’s employment.

Councillor M Alexander referred to the Members’ Code of Conduct, currently under review and suggested that both the Members’ Code and Employees’ Code should be in line with one another as anything else could be considered divisive.  The Director of Finance and Support Service undertook to discuss this with the Director of Neighbourhood Services charged with undertaking the review of the Members’ Code of Conduct.

The Panel supported the Social Media Use Policy, as now submitted. 

RECOMMENDED – that the Social Media Use Policy, as now submitted, be approved.