24.14 Media releases and publicity

(a) Code of practice

The media and communications team will follow the government's code of recommended practice on local authority publicity.

(b) Media enquiries

Officers must refer all media enquiries to the media and communications team and must co-operate promptly with requests for information from the team.

(c) Content of media releases

Media releases can contain quotes from the leader, board members, area committee chairs, the mayor, the deputy lord mayor or the sheriff and information about how to contact them. They must not contain quotes from other councillors or information about how to contact them. Any quotes from officers must be either factual or consistent with council policy.

When a media release is issued after a meeting, it must be about things discussed at the meeting. Media releases issued before a meeting should contain factual information only.

(d) When to issue media releases

The media and communications team will be guided by the leader, board member or committee chair on whether to issue a media release before or after a meeting. The media and communications team will advise these councillors on when a media release would be appropriate, taking into account any recommendations made by executive directors or heads of service. If there is a disagreement about what a media release should say, the chief executive will decide.

(e) Publicity in the run-up to elections      

Once a notice has been published of an election in the council's area, there can be no publicity about anything controversial until after polling day. Nor can there be any publicity that links policies or achievements to specific councillors.

(f) Invitations to media events

Representatives of each political group will be invited to all media events involving councillors. The media and communications team will liaise with the leader, board member or committee chair when setting up media events involving councillors.

(g) Media releases by party groups and individual councillors

When individual councillors or spokespeople for political groups issue media releases, they should make it clear that they are not issuing them on behalf of the council.

Page last reviewed 24 Oct 2008