Plymouth councillors banned from Twitter
PLYMOUTH City councillors and staff have been banned from using council PCs and mobile phones to access social networking site such Twitter.
The ban on Twitter was introduced this week, when councillors attempting to log on to the site found themselves redirected to the council’s internet home page.
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Last week Labour Leader Tudor Evans found himself in trouble over insults to a fellow politician he made on Twitter.
And a Twitter user has established a page under the name Viv P, using an image of council leader Vivien Pengelly, and tweeting on council matters such as the sale of CityBus.
An email from Chief Execeutive Barry Keel to all staff and councillors this week said teh use of Twitter was now restricted to the council's corporate communications team.
Councillor Evans, who tweets using @councillortudor, said: "Banning Twitter is another kneejerk reaction from a council that is barely able to cope with email let alone YouTube and Facebook.
"It is worrying that a Council has banned democratically elected Councillors from communicating the political process in Plymouth.
The email banning Twitter
"Let's be clear this isn't about Twitter, this is about the Council stopping Councillors talking about what happens inside and outside the Council's Ivory Towers."
Luke Pollard, Labour's Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for South West Devon was recently named as the 10th most influential Labour person on Twitter, said: "It is disappointing that the City Council hasn't recognised the value of using Twitter like so many other councils have.
"Twitter has the potential to open up politics providing real-time transparency of the political process.
"By banning Twitter the Council has done more to promote its use in Plymouth City Council than anything those on Twitter could have done to promote it.
"In the process they have exposed themselves as a backward looking authority blundering about in the internet age."
“Not even the Iranian Government has sought to ban Twitter,” Bill Stevens, Labour councillor for Devonport, said.
“This is another ridiculous example of the council not letting people use IT as it should be used in the modern world.
“We are always told we should keep in touch with our constituents.
“All good practice from councils upcountry is that use of social networking is encouraged.”
A council spokeswoman said: “Like many organisations we have not allowed access to Facebook, Youtube or Myspace for some time. Limiting access to social networking sites applies to any device that is on the council network including Blackberries.
“Plymouth City Council has approximately 12,000 staff and provides email and internet facilities to about 4,000 employees to enable them to do their jobs effectively and efficiently.
“We have clear guidelines on how they should use these facilities in order to protect security and to ensure that staff time is not spent on non work-related activities.
“We regularly review our policies against a backdrop of ever-changing technology and business demands. We use filtered internet access, block social networking sites and do not allow eBay access. We take any abuses extremely seriously.”
The spokeswoman said councillors could keep their constituents up-to-date through their own page, linked from their contact details on the council’s website.
Councillor Pengelly hit out at the fake profile using her name, she said: "I don't think this has any relevance to the city of Plymouth.
“I'm more interested in doing the right thing and leading the city in these difficult times."
She said she would try to have the page removed by Twitter.
A number of councillors use Twitter and Facebook, including Councillor Nicky Wildy.
Cllr Wildy, reacting on her Twitter feed, said: "Tweets continue!". She added: "...thinks Plymouth's Chief Executive Twitter ban may bring Plymouth CC into disrepute? Is this a matter to be investigated?"
Plymouth City Council has its own official Twitterfeed where it issues press releases and advertises jobs.
Barack Obama used Twitter during his presidential campaign to gather support and keep his supporters informed. Twitter is being used by people in Iran to inform the world of the ongoing unrest following the election while mainstream media has been blacked out.
The Herald has a Twitter page with close to 3,000 followers at www.twitter.com/plymouthherald
36 Comments
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by andrew kerswell, plymouth
Wednesday, June 24 2009, 11:49PM
“Cllr Nicky wildy
Just read your comment posted where you claim you use twitter in you own time, yes all your time is your own yet you fail to tell the voters you spend 100% of your day in the labour group room using the council resources every day to twitter that¿s when you are not on holiday and you have a lot of them don¿t you. Your diary can confirm this.
Just remember the internet does not lie each time you use it you are recorded doing so this being the case your residents can see you are never in your ward doing what you were elected to do for them.”
by andrew kerswell, plymouth
Wednesday, June 24 2009, 11:11PM
“It looks very much like the labour party members can not stand up face to face and be counted. No politician in this city should be able to hide behind twitter just because they don¿t have a back bone.
This report states Tudor Evans was in trouble over insults against a fellow politician but on the TV tonight he tried to hide behind it was a statement he made about the B,M.P i think we should rename you as Billy L¿.
A quote from Luke Pollard "Twitter has the potential to open up politics providing real-time transparency of the political process.
These being the case then please tell us why your party had not used this to expose the labour MPs expenses scandal?
Rate payers of this city don¿t forget you pay for them to use this and the chief executive of the council was correct when he stopped this”
by shirley, pennycross
Wednesday, June 24 2009, 4:04PM
“all you people supporting the use of Twitter don't seem to have realised that it is being done in your name, at your expense! the word abuse springs to mind”
by Kev, Stonehouse
Wednesday, June 24 2009, 1:01PM
“lets be honest. A typical tory led council will not know what id going on, as most of the decisions are now left with the Chief Exec and dept heads. The headlines go to the tories, the decisions are made by employees. Thats how the tories work!!!”
by Alex, Tax payer
Wednesday, June 24 2009, 11:13AM
“Went for a coffee yesterday outside the council offices. Loads of em sat there for long time, then go back to office and play on internet.
Council tax will go up next year and some will complain they have lost their cushy jobs.”
by Lee, Plymouth
Wednesday, June 24 2009, 8:04AM
“A relevant question arises here that has serious implications for democracy¿¿Who controls the Council? Is it an unelected officer Mr Keel or, whether we like them or not, the elected members¿..I have feared for a long-time the total power resides in the upper echelons of the management and not those duly elected¿.Members really do need to take back control and reign in these unelected officers.”
by SID ANNING, CROWNHILL - PLYMOUTH
Wednesday, June 24 2009, 7:25AM
“Well! well! It appears that Tudor Evans is pretty good at dishing out the dirt on Twitter by calling a member of the BNP a 'Nazi' and using an insult referring to sexual orientation, but is the same person who has blocked me contacting him on his Council Email address because he doesn't like what I said to him, most of which is of interest of this City. What a hypocrit!
Quite frankly, this bloke is a disgrace to the Labour movement and socialism - true socialism that is, and not the one he believes in, and its time he was kciked out of office.”
by Dave, Mutley
Wednesday, June 24 2009, 6:04AM
“No wonder our council tax has doubled for less output, it seems half of them are messing around instead of working.
no other employer would stand for this, mind you it is the council”
by Louise, Plymouth
Tuesday, June 23 2009, 8:47PM
“The fuss seems to be being caused by the 3 Labour Councillors who have made the outspoken comments and caused the issue in the first place. Reading the email sent out to the staff it seems to be a measured approach. Unlike linking our democratically elected Council to the Iranian Government! Perhaps being in opposition means that some have to shout louder than others and hang the consequences for everyone? Surely if using Twitter was so important to democracy and to communicate to voters, then I guess discussing football and dinner ingredients would be topics all Councillors would be glad to share? If that's true then why do some Labour Councillors keep their tweets private? Perhaps this is not fully supported by all of Labour, but just the gang of 3 who seem hell bent on kicking up a storm?
Had Twitter been used without the abuse reported in your paper, and in a professional way, then presumably any ban would not have been necessary? Perhaps those that caused the ban to be needed should show a little more humility and admit what they said was not of the standards we voters expect from our representatives? Still, we will see what happens at the next local and General Election....”
by Rick O'Shay, zog
Tuesday, June 23 2009, 7:39PM
“Its amusing that these local politicians think their tweets are so interesting that people want to read them!
I read some of the c**p put on twitter recently by Tudor Evans, if you ever wanted proof that IQ testing should be mandatory for local politicians its all there for you to read! lol”