Social media warning for Preston councillors after complaints over ‘gender identity, sexual orientation and transphobia' messages’

Members have been sent a copy of guidelines on using platforms like Twitter, Facebook and Instagram following a "disappointing" annual report by the council's standards committee.

The report shows eight complaints were made over the conduct of councillors during 2021/22 - double the number registered the previous year. Three involved posts on social media - all of which involved gender identity, sexual orientation or transphobia.

Others involved claims about councillors being rude, verbally abusive and bullying. But of the eight complaints, the council's Code of Conduct was not engaged in four because the accusations involved behaviour in a private setting.

The report, to be presented to Preston's full council tomorrow (Thursday), says: "It is disappointing to note the increase in 2021/22. Some of the complaints resulted from social media posts and the Monitoring Officer has circulated, to all members and Parish Clerks, the social media guidelines which hopefully will assist members and prevent them placing themselves in difficult situations when using social media."

The first complaint came in July 2021 when a member of the public accused a councillor of "aggressive social media posts on gender critical views, thus not showing respect." The Code of Conduct was not engaged because the social media discussion had been done "in a private capacity."

On the same day a councillor was accused of showing "no respect towards an individual on social media because of their sexual orientation and gender identity." Again the code was not invoked as the social media conversation had been a private matter.

Four days later a third complaint was lodged accusing a councillor of "no respect, alleged bullying and transphobia on social media." Once more the code was not engaged because further information from the complainant was not forthcoming.

In November a councillor was accused of showing "no respect and bringing their office into disrepute as well as gaining an advantage in office." It was alleged the member had "accepted an expensive present from a constituent." The councillor was also accused of coercion. No action was taken after Monitoring Officer and police found no wrongdoing.

Again in November a member was accused of putting pressure on neighbours to sign an official council document. The case was investigated and no breach of rules was found.

In February a member of the public complained that they had tried ringing their ward councillor several times without response. They wished to speak to a female to discuss women and equality issues. The councillor was told to speak to the caller and the complaint was withdrawn.

Also in February a woman claimed a councillor was "verbally abusive in front of children” while she was waiting to collect a child from school. Again it was considered to be a private matter.

And in May two councillors were accused of using a photograph in a leaflet which included a picture of a van and a house. It was claimed the photo issues in the area could have been caused by the van when that was not the case. Both councillors were accused of being rude during telephone discussions. The outcome of that complain is pending in case the leaflet caused a breach of data protection regulations.