Social Media Policy – revised July 2025

SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY

Policy adopted May 2016, amended July 2025, reviewed annually

Social media is rapidly growing in popularity and is used by many members of society, regardless of age or background.  The most popular examples of social media networks are web-based and include sites such as Facebook, Twitter, My Space, You Tube and Linked In.   Bozeat Parish Council has chosen to use social media to provide a modern additional means to communicate with residents and businesses in Bozeat and to impart information to those with an interest in the village.  There exists an account on Facebook, a social media site, in the name of “Parish Council”.

In conjunction with the existing Website Policy, all Councillors will use the following practices:

• The IT and Website Working Party shall consist of the Parish Council Clerk and two members of the Council
• Bozeat Parish Council currently has a website which successfully provides controlled information relevant to the working of the Council and the services it provides. It shall remain the main source of information.
• The administration will include publishing: – matters of information, importance, and relevance as received.
• It shall be administered by the IT Group.
• Content shall be limited to providing links to main web-site pages, reminders of activities, meetings and the like.
• All content to be added to the site must be in accordance with the current BPC Policy
• If there is any doubt, the IT Group will check with the Chairman or Vice Chairman prior to posting.
• In general, for the media outlet:
• MEMBERS and COUNCIL EMPLOYEES WILL NOT …
  1. Disclose confidential matters.
  2. Criticise policies.
  3. Criticise fellow Councillors, council employees and/or contractors.
  4. Publicly acknowledge queries and/or comments posted on any Facebook or Twitter site.
  5. Use commentary deemed to be defamatory, obscene, proprietary or libellous. Councillors will exercise caution with regards to exaggeration, colourful language, guesswork, obscenity, copyrighted materials, legal conclusions and derogatory remarks or characterisations.
• If you find information on the social networking site that falls under the mandatory reporting guidelines, report it as required by law, to the Chairman or Vice Chairman as soon as possible.
• The Parish Council may co-opt a lay person to work with the elected working party to assess and change the social media content subject to full council approval.