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Twitter ye not!
Reporter: Erin Heywood
Date online: 01 March 2013
OLDHAM’S next mayor wants to put a stop to councillors tweeting during meetings.
Tory Councillor John Hudson says it distracts them from the serious topics being discussed - and he wants to ban tweeting when he becomes mayor in three months.
He view has led to a clash with council leader Councillor Jim McMahon who actively encourages tweeting.
At Wednesday’s budget meeting, Councillor Hudson’s comments against tweeting during meetings caused a stir among those who regularly take to the social media site to connect with the public.
Despite being an avid supporter of modern technology, Councillor Hudson says there is a time and a place for tweeting — and that isn’t during debates.
He said: “When it was proposed we should show council meetings online, and tweets from members of the public I was fine with that.
“My complaint is that councillors are tweeting comments to each other when really, they should be paying attention. They should be listening to the debate and speaking, and making their point publicly, not through Twitter. People are going to be wondering whether they have got their mind on the job, especially when they’re discussing something as important as the budget.
“If we are democratising, and a lot of people are using social media to get a better idea of how politics works in Oldham, then we should be professional and businesslike about it.
“The mayor hasn’t the power to ban people from using their iPads and iPhones completely. But I will be looking into the rules about using social media in meetings and I will find out what should and should not be allowed.
“I mentioned it on Wednesday to give people plenty of warning because I am not happy about it.”
Some councillors at the meeting ironically took to Twitter to express their feelings about his remarks. Councillor McMahon tweeted: “DeptMayor John Hudson doesn’t like Twitter in council, but the public do and engagement is better than ever. Move with the times.”
Councillor Sean Fielding keyed: “Enjoyable council meeting tonight in spite of the technophobic anti-Twitter sentiments from the old guard!”
But Councillor Hudson is unrepentant: “I’m simply saying that there are 60 councillors in that chamber, and they should be adding to the debate for the people in their areas, not tweeting. We can modernise all we like, but they should stick to the rules of being a councillor because it is a serious job.”
DO YOU THINK HE’S RIGHT? We’d love a tweet! @OldhamChronicle or email news@oldham-chronicle.co.uk
Comments
I agree 100% with his stance. If I pulled my phone out during a meeting at work I'd be out on my ear!
It's quite simple really, send a tweet BEFORE or AFTER the meeting, not DURING!
Cllr Fielding needs to grow up! Cllr Hudson is absolutely right in what he says. Councillors should spend their time in the chamber concentrating on the matters being debated.
Cllr McMahon has no respect for either his own position or the public with his ridiculous remarks about "moving with the times". It just goes to show how arrogant this Labour group really is. Show some respect to Cllr Hudson. He has earned it!
There's nothing in the Standing Orders of debate to prohibit it. To bring it in would require a vote in Council.
sean when people are debating the good of the town you should be engaged or dont bother turning up. i expect this from school kids not people entrusted with power. "Shocking"
I totally agree with him. If we are democratising, and a lot of people are using social media to get a better idea of how politics works in Oldham, then we should be professional and businesslike about it." Thats exactly how things should be run. Not like a bunch of kids using twitter to post absue to other councilliors - maybe sean fielding should take note. Keep off twitter till the matters at hand have been deabted - then throw it open to the wider world. Not rocket science
Can he also cut down the number of twits who claim to represent the people of Oldham?
i agree with mr hudson!
in any other sort of business meeting the use of mobile phones would be deemed to be innapropriate and actually down right rude!
there is absolutely nothing professional and business like about tweeting in meetings.
its actually become something of an annoyance actually!
mcmahon is a bit of a hypocrite. he likes to let everyone know his draconian methods sooner but wont allow the people of oldham the chance to decide themselves.
council tax referendum say for example!
Councillor Hudson is right they are there to pay attention to the debate not to be on twitter this tells me the debate as far a Labour are concerned is of no value Cllr McMahon and his team have made up their minds before any debate takes place. I use twitter and you either give your attention to your devise or the debate but not both While twitter has a place at the council the place is not in the middle of the budget debate it’s at the question time.
May I add my vote to the near unanimous support for Cllr Hudson's timely reminder ... that Councillors should focus on the matters in hand at meetings - not gadgets.
A lot of people can multi task, ie tweet and listen. I don't agree with councillors tweeting instead of taking part in the debate, but tweeting as well as, should be encouraged. Some of the best tweets out there are live 'in the field' ones, football commentary, major world events, conferences & yes the council ones are interesting too. I would hate to see the spotlight on Oldham as a local authority not embracing social media.
another stance on this would be. are councillors employed to use social media during hours of work?
even if it's supposed to be in the publics interest.
the answer would be no.
Mr Hudson is a dinasaur. Get with the times. As much as I dislike Jim McMahon at least I can find out what he's upto and what he's proposing via his twitter feed. Banning him will not change a single thing. It will merely make it look more secretive.
No point passing comments and voicing anger and dissatisfaction on here - it's the by-elections make the difference. Not happy with Labour in Oldham - use your votes and change it - Eastleigh has proved it can be done.
Let the councillors concentrate on the meeting and the debates taking part - but - to keep anyone interested in the goings on of the meeting informed - have one of the many underused council employees tweeting the salient points of the meeting in progress. Simples
To increase engagement and interest in politics then I do encourage the use of social media although I am inclined to agree it should be done outside of a meeting. I can't imagine other working arenas that would allow it. Saying that, councillor hudson is probably a bit jealous that as one of the few Tory members in oldham he won't have many followers
Well ban the councillors from tweeting but keep the public's tweets being shown.
Absolutely correct from Cllr Hudson. Disgraceful behaviour from McMahon & Fielding.
There is absolutely no public benefit from councillors tweeting during a meeting, it's simply them trying to grab attention for themselves by 'entertaining' who ever reads them.
Focus on the job in hand.
A vote in the council JMTS? How about respect for the elctorate and give the debate the full attention it requires. Unbelievable excuse yet again
Jim McMahon is absolutely right. John Hudson needs to move with the times, or at least join the 21st century!
I first knew about this story by reading the twitter feeds during the last council meeting!
It's called engaging with the public. Carry on tweeting councillors.
Not a big supporter of the Cons but i completely agree with Hudson. If you want to tweet, do this after the meeting/Debates. He is not banning twitter as he stated, he just does not want people to use it during the meetings/debates because should be focused on what is at hand not tweeting people in the same room. The people need to know what the outcome of the meeting is not what Cllrs want to say to other Cllrs. Response of McMahon et al just reflects on the state that Oldham is in!!!
if its oh so importatnt why dont the council chambers have an official tweeter.
individual tweets from council memebers may be biased towards their chosen political stance and effectively worthless as information to the public.
if these irrisponsible councillors want to tweet then make notes during the council meetings. then once its over with then do your tweets. in your own time.
this is why the 2% council tax increase is being forced through. to pay for coucillors wasting time on twitter!
Fedupoldhamer - the council does have an official twitter feed that provides info on what's happening. The beauty of twitter is you can choose who to follow which means you don't have to read anything that you may not agree with politically. It's funny how you have spent weeks going on about the 3.5% increase in council tax and arguing about the inclusion of precepts and you now mention just 2%. Another classic post full of error and contradiction
During meetings at my place of work we are asked to turn mobile phones off so yuor attention is the subject and not your phone, i agree totaly with john hudson if people want to tweet do it at another time i dont pay my council tax for this is it any wonder ombc is in the mess it's in.
bramble prior to your arrival on the 21st of feb the debate on official figures for the council tax increase where already at hand.
you only joined in mid way through.
questions had already been posed as to the precepts and they got answered.
all i've been questioning is are we getting the referendum?
be it 2% or 3.5%. it doesnt matter!
2% should trigger the referendum. and we are not getting one.
so no errors or contraditions here off me.
just simple highlighting of the lack of democracy.
Have Your Say
He is correct and a typical response from the left wingers. Insult the man and create a new phobic word. Absolutely pathetic
By Max Damage @ 01/03/2013 12:51:30