The Standards and Ethics Committee of Worcestershire Council was scheduled to discuss proposed social media guidance for councillors and the recruitment of new independent members. The committee was also set to review its future work programme.

Social Media Guidance for Councillors

The committee was scheduled to consider draft guidance for elected members on the appropriate use of social media. The report highlighted that comments made on social media can negatively impact the reputation of both individual councillors and the council itself, and could potentially lead to legal action. It was noted that the Members' Code of Conduct applies to all forms of communication, including social media. The draft guidance includes a list of recommended actions and prohibitions for councillors when using social media, aiming to ensure they conduct themselves appropriately and maintain high standards of conduct. The Assistant Director for Legal and Governance, Hazel Best, was recommended to be granted delegated authority to finalise the guidance in consultation with the Chair of the Committee. The report also referenced guidance from the Local Government Association on social media use by councillors.

Independent Members

The committee was scheduled to discuss the approach to appointing two further non-voting independent members to the Standards and Ethics Committee. The council's constitution requires three independent members, but currently only one, Dr Philip Whiteman, serves on the committee. The report outlined that these new members would not be officers or elected councillors and would be ineligible to be Chairman or Vice-Chairman. A proposed job description for an Independent Member was attached, detailing requirements such as residing or working in Worcestershire, being fair, objective, and able to exercise sound judgement. The role is unpaid, though travel expenses are claimable. The Assistant Director for Legal and Governance recommended that the committee consider how the recruitment and appointment process for these additional independent members should be pursued.

Work Programme

The committee was scheduled to review its future work programme. The programme indicated that a complaints update and recommendations on training for councillors linked to standards and ethics were planned for 3 July 2026. Dates for future meetings in October 2026 and January 2027 were marked as To be decided.

The meeting was scheduled to take place at the Civic Centre, Queen Elizabeth Drive, Pershore, WR10 1PT. The agenda was produced and published by Hazel Best, Assistant Director for Legal and Governance. Enquiries about the agenda or reports could be made to Simon Lewis, Committee Officer.