To present the Committee with the outcome of the review of the Social Media Guidance for Members, presented to the Committee at its 22 April 2026 meeting, and subsequent Members’ training session and feedback; for subsequent approval and adoption of the final version.

Members were told that the current Social Media Guidance for Members (“the Guidance”) had been last considered by the Standards Committee at its meeting held on 2 February 2022. A revised draft Social Media Guidance for Members, with a review conducted by Officers, and based on current uses of social media, had been presented to the Committee at its meeting held on 22 April 2026.

Members were also made aware that the Council recognised the benefits of communication between Members and residents that social media platforms afforded and which were utilised by the majority of Members with varying frequency. Social media could reach a demographic of society that might not always be reached by more traditional methods, and this along with the speed with which communication could take place, provided both potential benefits and pitfalls, over and above ‘traditional’ means of correspondence.

The Committee was informed that the review of the Guidance had considered the Local Government Association’s Model Social Media Guidance and the published Social Media Guidance for Councillors.

Members were updated that, since the publication of the Officer report (A.2), the LGA had updated their guidance, but that this Council guidance’s was still in line with their updated version.

Officers told Members that a dedicated online Member Development Session had been conducted on 24 June 2026 by an external trainer, incorporating the draft Guidance and which had covered the following topics:-

• The landscape of social media in 2026;
• Why be on social media? Building trust and engaging with residents;
• Having a plan;
• Which platforms are best? Exploring the main options;
• Top tips for best engagement, including lessons from deep dive social media review of Councils around the country;
• Good practice for elected Member accounts;
• Misinformation, disinformation and deep fake;
• Good governance, staying safe online and dealing with negative/hostile remarks; and
• Resources to assist going forward.

The training had also covered that inappropriate use of social media could amount to a breach of the Members’ Code of Conduct and that it was the individual responsibility of each Member to consider the Guidance and Members' Code of Conduct when using social media and indeed all forms of communication.

Members were also told that 13 Members had attended the training session, at the conclusion of which a feedback form had been circulated to all, that requested any further comment/inclusion to be incorporated within the final version of the Guidance. At the time of writing, one feedback form had been received and which had not contained anything further to be included within the Guidance.

It was moved by Councillor Baker, seconded by Councillor Talbot and unanimously:-

RESOLVED that the Committee:-

(a)  notes the contents of the report and the associated feedback comments arising from the dedicated Members’ Development Session on social media;

(b)  approves and formally adopts the final version of the Social Media Guidance for Members, as set out in Appendix A of the Officer report (A.2) and that it be circulated to all Members of the Council;

(c)   advocates that Town and Parish Councils should take ownership of introducing the right policies/guidance for their own Town and Parish Councils and that Appendix A of the Officer report (A.2) be circulated to all Town and Parish Councils with an invitation to adopting it should they deem appropriate; and

(d)  authorises the Monitoring Officer to make minor and administrative amendments, as required, reflecting the ever-changing landscape of social media and associated social media platforms available.