Agenda and draft minutes

Venue: Town Hall, Main Road, Romford

Contact: Debra Marlow tel: 01708 433091  e-mail:  debra.marlow@onesource.co.uk

Items
No. Item

5.

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE & SUBSTITUTE MEMBERS

(If any) - receive

Minutes:

Apologies were received from Councillor Barry Mugglestone who was substituted by Councillor Paul Middleton and Councillor Roger Ramsey, substituted by Councillor Maggie Themistocli.

6.

DISCLOSURE OF INTERESTS

Members are invited to disclose any interest in any of the items on the agenda at this point of the meeting. 

 

Members may still disclose any interest in any item at any time prior to the consideration of the matter.

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

7.

MINUTES pdf icon PDF 640 KB

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the Committee held on 31st May, 2018, and to authorise the Chairman to sign them.

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on 31 May 2018 were agreed as a correct record subject to an amendment that Councillor Jason Frost was appointed  to the Transport & Environment Committee instead of Councillor Joshua Chapman as stated in the appendix 1 to the minutes. This was noted and the minutes were signed by the Chairman.

8.

MEMBERS IT USAGE AND SOCIAL MEDIA PROTOCOLS pdf icon PDF 169 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Council’s Monitoring Officer presented a report before the Committee that sought its adoption of a protocol relating to email communications between Members of the Council.

 

The purpose of the report was to recommend adoption of a protocol which provided guidance and assistance on the appropriate use of Council IT in general, including email. The Committee was informed that the protocol encompassing the wider use of IT resources was also essential given the recent introduction of the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR).

 

It was noted that the protocol provided guidance which would ensures that Members make use of these facilities in an effective, efficient and responsible manner and in accordance with GDPR.

 

The Committee was informed that the protocol should be read in conjunction with the Member Code of Conduct and the section concerning the use of local authority resources.

 

Members were informed that social media now played an increasingly important part in the operation of a democratic society by offering positive opportunities for the Council and Councillors to engage with citizens.

 

The report detailed that the use of social media presented Members with certain risks and challenges which could result in complaints being made against the Council, or allegations regarding a breach of the Member Code of Conduct.

 

Members sought clarification if a councillor could be held personally liable for an Information Commissioner's Office fine under data protection breach.

 

The Monitoring Officer stated that the protocol had been drafted to provide advice and guidance on the use of social media. If a Member was in any doubt, the advice was to contact the Council’s Monitoring Officer before

 

Following discussion, the Committee:

 

1.    Approved the ‘Member IT Usage Protocol’ as amended and attached as Appendix 1.

 

2.    Approved the ‘Social Media Protocol for Members’ as amended and attached as Appendix 2

 

The voting to approve the protocol was carried by 10 votes to 1 against.

Councillor David Durant voted against the proposal.