CHANGES to Frankston Council’s communications policy are now in effect.
The revised guidelines will allow for the mayor to direct a councillor to remove content from social media for up to 24 hours while potential breaches of the policy are investigated. The guidelines instruct councillors using social media to “not actively undermine any decision or position already taken by council or bring council into disrepute”.
Councillors are also asked to ensure they “only share information that is already publicly available” and “notify the mayor and CEO of any comments made.”
The changes were opposed by Crs Steven and Liam Hughes. Cr Steven Hughes’ recent social media use has landed him in hot water, with an internal arbitration process underway in response to posts he made on his Facebook page (“Councillors seek arbitration to resolve Facebook dispute”, The Times, 9/3/21).