Nov 6 / Emma Broomfield

Moving from campaign mode to governing

It is time to shift gears

The dust has now settled on the elections. Declarations have been made, councillors have been sworn into office, the first Council meetings are complete, and the roles of Mayor and Deputy Mayor have been filled. Inductions are in full swing, and the newly elected council is finding its feet. This is an exciting time for local councils – optimism is high, and the potential for positive change is in the air.

A key shift for councillors right now is to move out of campaign mode and focus their energies on leading, representing, and governing on behalf of their communities. However, this transition can be easier said than done. One critical area where this mindset shift is essential is the use of social media.

Statements that were made by candidates during the campaign period may not always be appropriate coming from an elected official. Our experience working with councillors and councils also tells us that social media use continues to be one of the top governance issues and presents particular risks for our elected leaders, particularly with respect to their wellbeing.

 So, how do you successfully make this transition?

Step 1: Know your governance obligations

First and foremost, when using social media, councillors should have at the forefront of their mind, the roles and responsibilities under the Local Government Act 1993. Importantly, a councillor's role is primarily a strategic one and they should not become involved in the day-to-day operations of the council. Communication protocols should be in place with the General Manager on how to respond to social media comments or enquiries of this nature. 

Next, a councillor's role is to represent the collective interests of residents, ratepayers and the local community. Whilst Facebook and other forms of social media are heavily used in our society, they are not "the community" and should not be the sole source of intelligence for decision making. Always sense check what is happening online with your sources. 

Councillors also have a legal duty to uphold and represent accurately the policies and decisions of the council. In practice, this means that where council makes a decision you disagree with (and may have voted against at the council meeting), you must be careful to express this is your personal view and not the decision of council. 

Finally, councillors must adhere to the Code of Conduct and any related policies such as a dedicated social media policy.  Both place constraints on how social media is used by elected officials and it is likely some new councillors will need to make adjustments to their style and online presence.

Step 2: Know your local rules 

Next, it is vital that councillors understand the rules for their particular council, which may be different to other LGAs. Does your council have a specific policy about social media? Is it based on the Office of Local Government Model Social Policy? If it is based on the Model Policy, then pay attention to what constitutes “private use” and make a decision on whether you will create a separate profile as a “Councillor”.  Either way, make sure you know it, and follow it.

Step 3: Audit your social media presence

Review your social media accounts and activities in light of your obligations under the Code of Conduct and any policies. Develop a strategy to ensure compliance with your governance obligations. This could include:
  • Creating a separate councillor profile which identifies you as “Councillor [First Name] [Last Name]”
  • Having a profile photo that clearly identifies you as a councillor
  • Implementing 'house rules' for engagement on your profile or page
  • Including a disclaimer stating, “The views expressed and comments made on this social media platform are my own and not that of the Council.”
  • Informing the General Manager of any social media platforms you administer which include related council content

Step 4: Weigh up the pros and cons

There are lots of great things about online communities and spaces when it comes to local democracy and many of its benefits can be harnessed by elected leaders. But on the flipside, social media is rife with abuse and unfortunately, this is a reality of most elected leaders who engage online. It is therefore important to balance the pros and cons and make a mindful decision about how much time and energy you invest in online engagement. 

Pros

  • Direct and quick access to information
  • Free platform for public participation in issues
  • A way for ordinary people to engage in politics and policy making
  • Gives people a voice who may not otherwise have one
  • Fosters connection in the community

Cons

  • Trolling, personal attacks and online abuse 
  • Misunderstanding can easily arise and conflict can escalate quickly
  • ‘Fake news’ is on the rise and misinformation spreads quickly
  • Complex issues can be overly simplified
  • Negativity can quickly dominate a positive news story
  • Extremism and hate speech can seep into comments

Step 5: Make a conscious decision

Once you've weighed up the pros and cons from your perspective, the final step is to make a conscious decision about:

1. Where you are showing up? This means deciding which social media platforms you will be active on, knowing that different platforms reach different parts of your community.

2. What your role will be online? This means deciding on your social media persona for each situation - options include unplugged, listener, informer, sharer, civic leader, contributor, point scorer or performer,

3. What is the return on your time? This means understanding how much time you spend on social media compared to other forms of engagement and deciding if this worth is the 'bang for your buck'.

Stepping into elected leadership will require you to review and likely change the way you use social media. To make an effective transition from campaigning to governing, follow our five steps above. And stay tuned for our future articles, where we'll share the different social media personas that you can adopt and our three golden rules to prevent the pitfalls.

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