The Office of Local Government recently released the Model Social Media Policy and the Model Councillor and Staff Interaction Policy in New South Wales.
These two policies are intended to represent best practice on governance in these areas. The model policies are not mandatory and councils are free to choose whether to use them or to adapt them for their own purposes.
If the Model Social Media Policy and/or the Model Councillor and Staff Interaction Policy are adopted by a council, a breach of the policy would be considered a breach of the council’s code of conduct. This is because Clause 3.1(b) of the Model Code of Conduct for Local Councils provides that council officials must not conduct themselves in a manner that is contrary to a council’s policies.
The Model Social Media Policy
The Model Social Media Policy is intended to provide councils with a robust framework for the administration and management of their social media platforms. It also sets standards of conduct for all council officials who use social media in their official capacity.
At the heart of the Model Social Media Policy are four ‘Principles’ of social media engagement. These are:
- Openness
- Relevance
- Accuracy
- Respect
These principles should underpin every aspect of a council’s social media activity and all councils and council officials should commit to upholding them.
The Model Social Media Policy is structured as follows:
| Part 1 | Sets out the principles of social media engagement for councils |
| Part 2 | Contains two administrative models that councils can adopt in relation to the management of their social media platforms: the General Manager model and the Social Media Coordinator Model |
| Part 3 | Details the administrative framework for councillors’ social media platforms |
| Part 4 | Prescribes the standards of conduct expected of council officials when engaging on social media in an official capacity or in connection with their role as a council official |
| Part 5 | Provides a framework by which councils can remove or ‘hide’ content from their social media platforms, and block or ban third parties |
| Part 6 | Prescribes how councils’ social media platforms should be used during emergencies |
| Part 7 | Contains information about records management and privacy requirements relating to social media |
| Part 8 | Relates to personal use of social media by council officials |
| Part 9 | Provides information about where concerns or complaints about a councils’ or council officials’ social media platform(s), or the conduct of council officials on social media, can be directed. |
| Part 10 | Definitions |
You can access the Model Social Media Policy here.
The Model Councillor and Staff Interaction Policy
The Model Councillor and Staff Interaction Policy provides a framework for councillors when exercising their civic functions by specifically addressing their ability to interact with, and receive advice from, authorised staff.
This Policy has been developed with three main goals:
- to establish a framework by which councillors can access the information they need to perform their civic functions,
- to promote positive and respectful interactions between councillors and staff, and
- to advise where concerns can be directed if there is a breakdown in the relationship between councillors and staff.
This Policy applies to all interactions between councillors and staff, whether face-to-face, online (including social media and virtual meeting platforms), by phone, text message or in writing.
The Model Councillor and Staff Interaction Policy is structured as follows:
| Part 1 | Introduction |
| Part 2 | Sets out the scope of the policy |
| Part 3 | Describes the policy’s objectives |
| Part 4 | Sets out the respective roles and responsibilities of councillors and staff and the principles that should guide their interactions |
| Part 5 | Sets out the administrative framework for a councillor requests system |
| Part 6 | Identifies which staff councillors can contact directly |
| Part 7 | Addresses councillors’ entitlement to access council buildings |
| Part 8 | Describes appropriate and inappropriate interactions between councillors and staff |
| Part 9 | Provides advice about who complaints can be made to |
| Schedule 1 | Contains a template for a list of staff councillors can contact directly under Part 6 of the policy |
You can access the Model Councillor and Staff Interaction Policy here.
