NALC Guidance "Stalinist" Options

[Simon Kirby]

Not often I agree with that great dollop Pickles, but I think he's spot on when he describes the National Association of Local Councils' guidance to their member town and parish councils as "Stalinist".

The Guidance, published last year, includes a Media Policy with the following:

• All journalists must contact the Council Clerk and may not contact councillors directly.
• Any contact by councillors with journalists requires the Council's prior written consent.
• Councillors cannot in their official capacity provide verbal or written statements to the media without the written consent of the Council.
• Councillors are not permitted to use the title "councillor" if giving comments in a private capacity.

I've complained long and hard about how Stalinist our own Town Council is so it's good to hear Pickles joining in. He said:

Freedom of speech is a vital part of local democracy. Councillors must be able to challenge waste and inefficiency, and should not have to get permission from state officials to speak to the press. I am making clear its contents are utterly opposed by the government and it should be withdrawn immediately. We should be championing the independent free press, not trying to suppress it.

Of course it extends beyond councillors as ordinary members of the public also need to be free to challenge waste and inefficiency without fear of victimisation, though Pickles might just have assumed that no council would be oppressive enough to bully its citizenry into compliance, not least because the Human Rights Act makes it illegal for a town council to interfere with the right of the public to criticise their local government, but our own Town Council's record here is repressive and shaming, and it's particularly shaming for a Lib Dem council to be criticised by a Tory for its poor Civil Liberties and Human Rights record.

[Andy Capp]

It's guidance, so therefore I assume it is not worth the paper it is written on. This sounds to me like a politician creating an issue for self congratulation.

[Simon Kirby]

It's guidance, so therefore I assume it is not worth the paper it is written on. This sounds to me like a politician creating an issue for self congratulation.

You need to understand the balance of power in a town council. You're right that the document is guidance, but it guides councils, or most especially council clerks, in how to formulate their standing orders, and once passed they bind councillors. Of course you might hope that councillors wouldn't vote for standing orders that erode civil liberties and human rights, but that assumes 1. councillors pay any attention to what's in front of them, 2. that they have the confidence to oppose the will of their town clerk and defy the clerk's recommendation, and 3. that they give a stuff for civil liberties and human rights, in practice none of those things tends to happen.

[On the edge]

As the saying goes, you couldn't make it up!

The issue was discussed on Radio 4, PM this evening and the Association spokesman clearly didn't get what was wrong. He was also trying to claim these were really just examples of practices and carried no weight!! A bit like Arthur Scargill saying NUM members didn't need to take any notice of his strike calls.

I sincerely hope our own parish council is not paying subscriptions. It's difficult to work out from the website who actually set up this organisation let alone why. Coming from what is purporting to be a professional organisation for parish councils and clerks, this 'advice' is actually quite horrifying and a very real threat to our democracy. That's not overstating the position, because clearly the clerks were involved in the production and certainly the approval of the document so it gives an insight into their thoughts.

Frankly, whilst Pickles is right, he should have gone much further and called for this unnecessary organisation to be closed down, if you think about it, the continued existence is a calculated insult to the electorate.

I must admit, I have always felt uneasy about the existence of this type of organisation. Particularly as we generally end up paying. There are several; the Local Government Association, the Association of Chief Police Officers etc.

Memo to Chief Executive, NTC, you work for our Councillors and us, not the other way round.

[On the edge]

It's guidance, so therefore I assume it is not worth the paper it is written on. This sounds to me like a politician creating an issue for self congratulation.

Yes, but very, very poor guidance from a group claiming to speak with authority. The less adequate officials in our Local Councils are likely to treat it seriously.

[MontyPython]

Is it true that WBC are going to insist all patrons of the Cinema stand and swear their allegiance to the Supreme Leader at the end of every performance?

[Andy Capp]

This seem to be a way to formally instigate dialogue with the media. There's little highlighted above that would endanger democracy. The way I see it, if a standing order was contrary to the HRA, it wouldn't be enforceable.

However, one line I do feel is wrong: "Councillors cannot in their official capacity provide verbal or written statements to the media without the written consent of the Council."

That certainly isn't acceptable.

[gel]

Perhaps the NWN should do some journalism and ask local PC Clerks for comments
on the issue, including the Parish North of Newbury, where the Prime Minister's brother is Chairman?

[Mr Brown]

This isn't good but highlights how repressive legislation is slipped in these days and generally no one notices until its too late. If it really is only an example why didn't they use a better one? Its also strange that this goes totally against what the Government is trying to do for whistle-blowers in the NHS. So it probably is just a try on to see what reaction they get.

[Andy Capp]

This isn't good but highlights how repressive legislation is slipped in these days and generally no one notices until its too late. If it really is only an example why didn't they use a better one? Its also strange that this goes totally against what the Government is trying to do for whistle-blowers in the NHS. So it probably is just a try on to see what reaction they get.

This isn't legislation.

[On the edge]

He's not saying it is, simply that it's one of the ways the Government have of slipping things through. I've certainly seen that before, A best practice briefing today, a civil service note tomorrow and then a Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 'simply to confirm existing practice' you understand!

[Cognosco]

You need to understand the balance of power in a town council. You're right that the document is guidance, but it guides councils, or most especially council clerks, in how to formulate their standing orders, and once passed they bind councillors. Of course you might hope that councillors wouldn't vote for standing orders that erode civil liberties and human rights, but that assumes 1. councillors pay any attention to what's in front of them, 2. that they have the confidence to oppose the will of their town clerk and defy the clerk's recommendation, and 3. that they give a stuff for civil liberties and human rights, in practice none of those things tends to happen.

You must understand that Councillors are really like department store dummies in the window, they are only window dressing. They are only there to give an impression to the plebs that they have someone representing them when in reality it is usually a very small select clique that runs local Councils and it certainly is not for the benefit of the plebs is it?

You just can't have non savvy Councillors blabbing all and sundry to the press or public they may just say the wrong thing, just look at recent slip ups by some of the WBC Councillors, look at RUP tweeting and reporting during Council meetings? No this has got to stop let him that knows just what is going on do the reporting after careful scrutiny of what is being released to the masses. We don't want all and sundry to know what really is occurring behind very tightly closed doors do we?
Just imagine if someone such as Simon Kirby, although practically impossible to happen with our moribund lot ensuring it won't happen, managed to get elected as a Councillor and blabbed every little behind the closed door deals? Would this be the end of our little clique?
Perish the thought pull up the drawbridge and keep the press and plebs at bay I say!

[Exhausted]

You must understand that Councillors are really like department store dummies in the window, they are only window dressing. They are only there to give an impression to the plebs that they have someone representing them when in reality it is usually a very small select clique that runs local Councils and it certainly is not for the benefit of the plebs is it? You just can't have non savvy Councillors blabbing all and sundry to the press or public they may just say the wrong thing, just look at recent slip ups by some of the WBC Councillors, look at RUP tweeting and reporting during Council meetings? No this has got to stop let him that knows just what is going on do the reporting after careful scrutiny of what is being released to the masses. We don't want all and sundry to know what really is occurring behind very tightly closed doors do we? Just imagine if someone such as Simon Kirby, although practically impossible to happen with our moribund lot ensuring it won't happen, managed to get elected as a Councillor and blabbed every little behind the closed door deals? Would this be the end of our little clique? Perish the thought pull up the drawbridge and keep the press and plebs at bay I say!

That sums it up in my book.

[Simon Kirby]

You must understand that Councillors are really like department store dummies in the window, they are only window dressing. They are only there to give an impression to the plebs that they have someone representing them when in reality it is usually a very small select clique that runs local Councils and it certainly is not for the benefit of the plebs is it?

You just can't have non savvy Councillors blabbing all and sundry to the press or public they may just say the wrong thing, just look at recent slip ups by some of the WBC Councillors, look at RUP tweeting and reporting during Council meetings? No this has got to stop let him that knows just what is going on do the reporting after careful scrutiny of what is being released to the masses. We don't want all and sundry to know what really is occurring behind very tightly closed doors do we?
Just imagine if someone such as Simon Kirby, although practically impossible to happen with our moribund lot ensuring it won't happen, managed to get elected as a Councillor and blabbed every little behind the closed door deals? Would this be the end of our little clique?
Perish the thought pull up the drawbridge and keep the press and plebs at bay I say!

Sure, Newbury town councillors are by and large vindictive self-serving reactionary establishment apologists who wouldn't even lift a finger to save their own grandmothers from the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal without orders - signed in triplicate, sent in, sent back, queried, lost, found, subjected to public inquiry, lost again, and finally buried in soft peat for three months and recycled as firelighter, but I think it's helpful for Pickles to call the NALC out and discredit their guidance as the manipulative authoritarian tract it is.

Of course it shouldn't need Pickles to say it, councillors should already be stout-hearted enough to say and do whatever they feel is right for the electorate whether or not it offends their council administration, but they're not.

[Ruwan Uduwerage-...]

My exact thoughts on "Councillors cannot in their official capacity provide verbal or written statements to the media without the written consent of the Council" are not printable, but needless to say that I only acknowledge this as guidance/advice and so will continue to do as I feel is appropriate. Even when I was in the police service officers were allowed to speak to the press and only if their statements were erroneous were they 'called to account'.

I honestly thought that the public elected councillors to inform them of issues and represent their opinions and as such dialogue is somewhat necessary, so I will continue to apprise the public of matters of relevance whilst in public meetings contemporaneously in order to collate peoples views.

Off shortly to yet another Planning & Highways meeting. This evening there are planning applications for Clay Hill, Falkland, Northcroft, Pyle Hill, St Johns, and Victoria wards.

Ruwan Uduwerage-Perera
Newbury Town Council - Councillor for Victoria Ward & Deputy Leader

[Simon Kirby]

My exact thoughts on "Councillors cannot in their official capacity provide verbal or written statements to the media without the written consent of the Council" are not printable, but needless to say that I only acknowledge this as guidance/advice and so will continue to do as I feel is appropriate. Even when I was in the police service officers were allowed to speak to the press and only if their statements were erroneous were they 'called to account'.

I honestly thought that the public elected councillors to inform them of issues and represent their opinions and as such dialogue is somewhat necessary, so I will continue to apprise the public of matters of relevance whilst in public meetings contemporaneously in order to collate peoples views.

Off shortly to yet another Planning & Highways meeting. This evening there are planning applications for Clay Hill, Falkland, Northcroft, Pyle Hill, St Johns, and Victoria wards.

Ruwan Uduwerage-Perera
Newbury Town Council - Councillor for Victoria Ward & Deputy Leader

I couldn't agree more, but I'm sure you can imagine how an uber-controlling administration would use the NALC guidance to lean on its independently-minded councillors to clamp down on their engagement, and how a good number of councillors wouldn't even be bothered if they never had to say a word for themselves and left it all to their administration to tell them what to say and think.

As OtE says, it would do NALC and the clerks they represent well to remember that councillors are elected to serve their electorate as best as they can and their first loyalty is to their conscience and not their administration.

[Ruwan Uduwerage-...]

I couldn't agree more, but I'm sure you can imagine how an uber-controlling administration would use the NALC guidance to lean on its independently-minded councillors to clamp down on their engagement, and how a good number of councillors wouldn't even be bothered if they never had to say a word for themselves and left it all to their administration to tell them what to say and think.

As OtE says, it would do NALC and the clerks they represent well to remember that councillors are elected to serve their electorate as best as they can and their first loyalty is to their conscience and not their administration.

Simon,

We share some concerns clearly!

Ruwan Uduwerage-Perera
Newbury Town Council - Councillor for Victoria Ward & Deputy Leader

[MontyPython]

I honestly thought that the public elected councillors to inform them of issues and represent their opinions and as such dialogue is somewhat necessary, so I will continue to apprise the public of matters of relevance whilst in public meetings contemporaneously in order to collate peoples views.

Exactly and as I have stated before when you vote we may expect you to be able to state both the way you voted and your reasons for doing so - particularly if this goess against public opinion.

Only with this open and honest exchange can we really decide how to vote and have trust in our elected representatives.

[Andy Capp]

On the Greenham Parish Council website, I notice Mr Julian Swift-Hook has "All correspondence c/o the Clerk". No one else does.

http://www.greenham.gov.uk/members.htm

[Ruwan Uduwerage-...]

Exactly and as I have stated before when you vote we may expect you to be able to state both the way you voted and your reasons for doing so - particularly if this goess against public opinion.

Only with this open and honest exchange can we really decide how to vote and have trust in our elected representatives.

I concur with the belief that the public has a right to know why Councillors voted For, Against or even Abstained on an issue.

I am often baffled in the Chamber when no objection is put forward and then the Tories, sometimes on block vote against something or abstain from voting and give no reason. This generally happens on matters when the District Council's decisions are being challenged, but also happens on other matters as well as I know only too well.

Ruwan Uduwerage-Perera
Newbury Town Council - Councillor for Victoria Ward & Deputy Leader