Boot Motions » Council meeting 24 Aug 2011 - WorkBoot dig #2
That the Mayor and Chief Executive cease issuing purported official Press Releases that are not authorised by Council in accordance with Council's adopted policy as set out on pages 5 and 6 of the Council’s Code of Conduct as excerpted below.
‘Public statements representing Council policy or reporting decisions of the Council will be made only with the authority of the Council:
Generally:
Otherwise the Chief Executive, Mayor, or any elected member or officer may make statements on behalf of the Council only with the authority of the Council.
The Chief Executive, management and staff will not comment publicly on the performance of the Council or elected members.
The Mayor may deal with the news media and make public statements relevant to the non-statutory role as a community leader, only where it is clearly stated that the views expressed are the Mayor's own and are not made on behalf of the Council. No statements made in this capacity shall undermine any existing policy or decision of the Council.’
Since the beginning of this term all of the press releases issued by the Mayor and Chief Executive have not been authorised by the Council. These press releases include the following recent releases –
Kaipara’s Future Focused on Benefits to Its People 19 August 2011
Kaipara’s District Plan Due in September 12 August 2011
Financial Sustainability Review Shows No Significant Issues 27 July 2011
When making these press releases the Mayor has not stated that the views expressed are his own and are not made on behalf of Council as required by the Code of Conduct.
If this pattern of purported official but unapproved press releases continues the other views of Councillors or indeed the correct official view of Council can then only be represented by each Councillor issuing their own press releases.
There is a difference from a blog which is clearly neither purporting to be "official" nor being anything other than a comment or personal point of view.
The logical absurdity of the current practice of the Mayor and Chief Executive issuing purported official Press Releases, is that each Councillor may have to then issue there own "official" press release. The obvious outcome is that the District will be brought into disrepute, and resuming the correct official practice of having Press Releases approved by Council in meetings, where individual minority views can be heard by the community as an exercise in democracy, can at least avoid the Council being portrayed so unfavourably.
Voted For:
Voted Against:
Abstained: