Thursday, December 19, 2013

MESSAGE RECEIVED ABOUT BRIGG COUNCILLORS' EMAILS

Coun Ben Nobbs raised the "guidance" about emails.
An unusual subject was discussed by Brigg Town Council: Whether councillors should set up additional email addresses to keep their work as elected representatives away from their personal messages.
Councillors considered a recommendation from Coun Ben Nobbs that they should consider the recent guidance issued by ERNLLCA - the East Riding and North Lincolnshire Local Councils Association - that those members who receive information via email should set up, and provide, a dedicated email address for council business.
Invited by Town Mayor Coun John Kitwood to begin the discussion, Coun Nobbs said that with so much spam email circulating, things could get mixed up.
Coun Nobbs said councillors having dedicated email addresses seemed to work for ward councillors on the North Lincolnshire authority.
The Town Mayor, who was chairing the meeting, then invited other councillors to have their say.
Some, like Coun Penny Smith, Coun Lesley Whitehand and Coun Jackie Brock, seemed quite content to have just one email account. 
Coun Chris Dyson made it clear he had no intention at all of setting up another one.
Coun Donald Campbell thought what Coun Nobbs was suggesting to be a good idea, while Coun James Truepenny thought it  a very safe thing to do from a legal point of view. He considered the suggestion to be a sensible one.
With plenty of free email accounts available, there was no mention of any additional expense being incurred. Individual councillors will now have to decide whether they wish to act on ERNLLCA's "guidance" and keep council business and personal messages apart.

Coun Donald Campbell thought it "a good idea."


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