Issue - meetings

To raise awareness of the WLGA campaign to promote positive election campaigns based on the issues/facts.

(a)          That all Councillors intending to seek re-election make a Fair Campaigns Pledge, and

(b)          That the Returning Officer be requested to ask all candidates at the forthcoming elections to make a Fair Campaigns Pledge.

In presenting the report the Chief Officer (Governance) referenced the coarsening of political debate with the extreme cases resulting in fatal attacks on MPs, with physical abuse, abuse of property and social media abuse across all levels of government.   To address this worsening situation, the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) had been promoting the Fair Campaigns Pledge “that candidates will campaign on the basis of issues and policies rather than the personalities of their political opponents”.   Flintshire was asking its Members to make the Fair Campaign Pledge and if this was supported, the Chief Officer and Chief Executive would be asking new candidates to take that Fair Campaign Pledge.

In calling upon the support of all Members, as the Leader of the Council, Councillor Ian Roberts moved the recommendations and encouraged all Group Leaders to pledge on behalf of their groups.  He confirmed that he was one of the original signatories when this was presented to the WLGA Executive with all Council Leaders in Wales signing the Pledge.  Whilst he did not have an issue with robust public debate about the issues, he said that this should not include personalities and abuse which demeaned the whole democratic process.  In referring to the impact of such abuse, he fully supported the campaign pledge on behalf of himself and the Labour party.

Councillor Mike Peers seconded the proposal.  Whilst Group Leaders had been asked to pledge for their group, he said it was for his individual group Members to commit to a fair campaign and vote how they wished and not for him to pledge on their behalf.  Referring to Section 1.03 of the report, he said serving Members seeking re-election remained bound by the statutory Code of Conduct which they signed when taking up office.  He agreed with the comments made by the Leader, and he had also witnessed serious incidents and he hoped this year would be different.   He said the Fair Campaigns Pledge acted as a reminder of how Members should conduct themselves during the election period and section 1.04 provided a link to information on the expected standards and that the Code of Conduct still applied.

Councillor Chris Dolphin supported the recommendations and acknowledged the positive aspects of social media as well as those that were not so positive.

Councillor Clive Carver pledged his own commitment albeit that he would not be standing for re-election. 

Councillor Tony Sharps agreed with the Leader’s comments and said that his group were unanimously supportive of the Pledge. 

            During the debate, Councillor Ian Roberts requested a recorded vote to which the requisite number of Members indicated their support.  On being put to the vote, the recommendations were carried unanimously. 

RESOLVED:

(a)          That all Councillors intending to seek re-election make a Fair Campaigns Pledge, and

(b)          That the Returning Officer be requested to ask all candidates at the forthcoming elections to make a Fair Campaigns Pledge.