Through the implementation of the Communications Strategy, the Council aims to foster effective and impartial communication, complying at all times with the Code of Practice on Local Government Publicity, issued under the Local Government Act 1986 (amended 1988 and 2001).

The code stipulates that publicity or information campaigns should:

• Promote well being 
• Not be politically biased
• Be balanced, informative and accurate
• Not be designed to persuade people to hold a certain view

As a local authority, East Lindsey District Council has its own guidance on the way it approaches communications, having regard to the provisions of the code.

Principles and Protocols

The Council undertakes to maintain a steady flow of information to the media so as to ensure:

• Continued public awareness of the services provided by the Authority and the functions it performs
• Proactive and ongoing publicity on matters of public interest
• Those affected by the Council’s decisions, policies and priorities are given the information to understand them and have an informed say about them

The Communications Team will handle Media Relations centrally, as recognised as best practice. The Communications Team will normally carry out all Council Media liaison. This enables:

• All Council media contact to be professionally managed to meet the communication needs of the Council and of the media
• Consistency in messages and high quality in the content and speed of responses to the media
• All media releases to be issued through the Team in standard format
• All media enquiries to be fielded initially by the Team, thus saving officer time in dealing with the media
• Consistent statements to be made on behalf of the Council

The Council’s profile to be raised and enhanced Releases issued to the media will fall into one of four categories:

a) Media releases on factual matters (such as announcing the date and content of an event or policy)

b) Media releases arising from any meetings or directly related to service issues

c) Media releases produced within partnerships or with partner organisations

d) Media releases with a political emphasis or covering significant or sensitive issues will be issued by the Leader or Deputy Leader AND the Chief Executive or, in the Chief Executive’s absence, Assistant Chief Executive or a Strategic Director.

The work of local councillors will be recognised as an important contributor to the Council’s community leadership role. In particular:

• Advice and basic training will be made available to local members in promoting local issues through the media
• While it is legitimate for the Council to publicise local issues through the media, the Council will not involve itself in any publicity that appears to be designed to affect public support for a political party.

The general policy of the Council will continue to be one of openness and accessibility towards the media.

Elections

The period between the notice of an election and the election itself should preclude proactive publicity in all forms by the Council for candidates and also for other politicians indirectly involved in the election. Publicity should not deal with controversial issues or report views, proposals or recommendations in such a way that identifies them with individual members or groups.

It is, however, acceptable that The Council responds to events and legitimate service enquiries providing factual and non partisan responses. Members holding key political or civic positions may comment officially in an emergency situation or where there is a genuine need for a Member response to an important event outside the Council’s control.