Polisi E-bost a Chyfathrebu
Email and Communication Policy 

Adopted 14/05/2024

 

The purpose of this policy is to define the roles and responsibilities within the Council regarding communications.

 

It provides guidance on how to ensure efficient and effective communications between council members and with third parties. A separate policy on Social Media exists and should be considered in conjunction with this policy.

 

Emails received by the Council’s Officer or Members may be disclosed following a request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 or following a subject access request under the Data Protection Act 1998 or in the course of legal proceedings.

 

Information that is held by someone on behalf of a Local (Community and Town) Council (that is by a Member or Officer) will satisfy the definition in Section 3(2)(b) of the 2000 Act and constitute ‘information held by a Community council’ which a person is entitled to request under the 2000 Act. Therefore the Act includes information that relates to the official business of the Council that is held in personal email accounts of Members or the Officer.

 

If personal email accounts of Members (and that of the Clerk) contain personal data that relates to either the official business of the Council, their activities as a Ward Councillor or campaigning for election, they may come within the scope of a subject access request to the Member under the 1998 Act. Information in the personal emails of Members (and the Officer) that does not relate to the business of the Council will not be subject to the 1998 or 2000 Act.

 

Hence, all Council business is to be conducted via the email addresses associated with the official Council website.

 

If internal emails are defamatory, offensive, or wrongly disclose confidential information or personal data (which means information that may identify a living individual, such as name, address or telephone number) to those who should not have such confidential information or personal data, this may provide others with a means of legal redress against the Council:

• Keep the communications relevant and concise.

• Do not send unnecessary copies or forward messages to others if not strictly necessary.

• Always write emails as if they are permanent, because even when they have been deleted they can often still be retrieved and may be disclosable to a Court or the Information Commissioner.

• Information in communications may not be confidential, but may be sensitive information that needs to be respected.

• Always respect the privacy of others. Do not write anything in communications that might be construed as offensive or discriminatory.

• Do not make negative comments about an individual, including members of the public, Members, Officer, or business suppliers.

• Use a Community Council signature so that it is clear in what capacity you are writing.

 

Officers and Councillors alike are responsible for ensuring compliance with this and related policies

 

The point of contact for the community council is the Clerk, and it is to the Clerk that all correspondence and enquiries for the community council should be addressed. At no time should councillors make any promises to the public about any matter raised with them other than to say they will investigate the matter.

 

No individual Councillor or Officer should be the sole custodian of any correspondence or information in the name of the community council, a committee, subcommittee 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’.

 

Where correspondence from the 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.

 

Agenda items for Council and Committee meeetings 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.

 

Communications between councillors regarding agenda items should have regard to the potential issue of pre-determination. While it is perfectly acceptable to exchange thoughts, ideas and information, councillors should ensure they retain an open mind and avoid comments that might give the perception of having reached a conclusion.

 

Items for information should be kept to a minimum on an agenda. Where the Clerk or a Councillor wishes fellow Councillors to receive matters for “information only”, this information will be circulated via the Clerk.

 

Correspondence from the Clerk marked “Confidential” must be treated as such and not be disclosed to anyone.

 

Councillors’ e-mails and other communications should be considered as being in the public domain. If a member of the public requests a copy of any correspondence from a councillor, the matter should be referred to the Clerk who will consider whether the correspondence is in the public domain

 

Email users are advised to be aware of the following:

• Messages sent to groups of people must be relevant to all concerned

• Users must not use email to abuse or inflame others or to harass or threaten anyone.

• Responding to abuse, harassment or threatening will not be accepted as an excuse for inappropriate language and/or behaviour.

• Recipients of abusive or threatening emails related to the business of the Council must immediately inform the Clerk or Chair.

• Users must not send emails containing obscene, abusive or profane language. Users must not send, access, display, download, copy or circulate information containing stories, jokes or anecdotes that contain:

• pornography or sexually orientated images

• gambling

• gaming (playing computer games)

• promotion of unlawful discrimination of any kind

• promotion of racial or religious hatred

• threats including the promotion of violence

• fraudulent or illegal material promotion of illegal and/or unlawful acts

• information considered to be offensive, inappropriate or disrespectful to others

• unauthorised and copyrighted material including music

 

The Community Council will report to the police all known incidents in which users intentionally send or receive emails containing the following:

• images of child pornography or child abuse (i.e. images where children are or appear to be under the age of 16 and are involved in sexual activities or posed to be sexually provocative)

• adult material/pornography that breaches the Obscene Publications Acts (1959 & 1964)

• criminally racist material

 

Users must not send, receive or disseminate proprietary data or any confidential information belonging to Glan Conwy Community Council to or from a third party unless authorised. Serious breaches of this policy by councillors or Clerk will amount to gross misconduct and may result in dismissal.

 

Serious breaches of this policy by councillors, members of the public or members of any other organisation or company will result in legal or police action.

 

The Clerk will be responsible for the administration of this policy on behalf of Glan Conwy Community Council and will report breaches to the Chair of