PRESS RELEASE - 11th DECEMBER 2009

BRECKLAND COUNCIL INVESTIGATING BREACH OF PUBLICITY RULES

SOUTH WEST NORFOLK, 11 December 2009:  Local Conservatives appear concerned about Ms Truss' lack of local connections and are resorting to enlisting the resources of Breckland District Council to promote her activities.

It was discovered that the Conservative Candidate, a Councillor from Greenwich in London recently attended a publicity opportunity organised by Breckland Council in Weeting, resulting in a press release and photographs being issued heaping praise on Ms Truss. No other candidates were invited to the event. Including, Peter Smith, the Labour Candidate, who lives in the Constituency.

Breckland Council has a duty of impartiality and under no circumstances should be using public funds to promote the candidate of a particular political party.

Members of South West Norfolk Labour Party contacted Breckland's Chief Executive when it became apparent what had occurred. The press release has already been removed from the Council's website, pending an internal investigation. However, by that time the article had already been issued to and appeared in the local press.

Peter Smith, Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for South West Norfolk for the Labour Party says:

"This clearly demonstrates that the Tories are very concerned about the lack of a local connection for their candidate and appear to be willing to go to any lengths to fabricate a story. A local candidate must live in the community they serve so that they intimately know the issues affecting local people. Local Taxpayers should not be footing the bill for this fabrication. Coming here for the odd photo opportunity is simply unacceptable and the people of South West Norfolk simply deserve better."

RELEASE ENDS

Notes to the Editor

Code of Recommended Practice on Local Authority Publicity

Local Authorities are governed by the Code of Recommended Practice on Local Authority Publicity referencing the following items contained within:

Timing of Publicity
43. Particular care should be taken when publicity is issued immediately prior to an election or by-election affecting the authority's area to ensure that this could not be perceived as seeking to influence public opinion, or to promote the public image of a particular candidate, or group of candidates. Between the time of publication of a notice of an election and polling day, publicity should not be issued which deals with controversial issues, or which reports views or policies in a way that identifies them with individual members or groups of members.

Elections, referendums and petitions
41. The period between the notice of an election and the election itself should preclude proactive publicity in all its forms of candidates and other politicians involved directly in the election. Publicity should not deal with controversial issues or report views, proposals or recommendations in such a way that identifies them with individual members or groups of members. However, it is acceptable for the authority to respond in appropriate circumstances to events and legitimate service enquiries provided that their answers are factual and not party political. Members holding key political or civic positions should be able to comment in an emergency or where there is a genuine need for a member level response to an important event outside the authority's control. Proactive events arranged in this period should not involve members likely to be standing for election.