Issue - meetings

To seek approval for the Partnership Social Media Policy (report of the Assistant Director – Corporate enclosed). 

The Portfolio Holder for Corporate, Governance, Communications and Environmental Services introduced the Social Media and Partnership Policy, explaining that the document set out the Council’s overall approach to the use of social media.

They advised that the policy aligned with the wider Communications Strategy approved within the last 12 months and that it provided clear objectives for how the Council created and shared content to maximise engagement with audiences.

The Portfolio Holder highlighted the work of the communications team in analysing data and audience insight to understand what content performed well and what did not. The policy also established a clear set of guidelines and “house rules” for behaviour and respectful engagement across all corporate channels.

Members were informed that the policy offered guidance for staff on appropriate use of social media, emphasising that work?related content should ideally be issued through official corporate accounts. The policy also included a review mechanism to assess the ongoing suitability of different platforms, as well as a response protocol to ensure a consistent and professional approach to interactions online.

Reference was made to the policy document at pages 63–79 of the agenda pack. Page 64 provided metrics relating to platform reach, and pages 67–70 set out further data covering activity and performance across the three partnership councils.

Members expressed support for the Social Media Policy. It was noted that the report clearly demonstrated the evolving nature of social media. Members acknowledged the benefits of social media, particularly its ability to communicate quickly during emergencies, while also recognising the negatives, including online toxicity and the reluctance of some residents to comment publicly due to strong opinions expressed by others.

Concerns were raised that comments made on social media during Council consultations were not captured within formal consultation data, leading to the risk that some residents believed they had participated when, in fact, informal comments were not included in the official record. Members agreed that the policy needed to be kept under review to ensure it remained fit for purpose.

A query was raised in relation to the social media metrics shown on pages 64 and 66 of the agenda, where follower numbers differed. Officers confirmed that a sweep had been carried out in January to remove inactive accounts and that the verified figure of 10,118 Facebook followers was accurate.

Members also queried the variation in activity and popularity of platforms across the three partnership councils. Officers advised that this largely reflected demographic differences and population sizes within the districts, and that differing community profiles naturally influenced engagement levels.

Positive comments were made regarding the strong performance of the South Holland Centre’s social media accounts, particularly on Instagram, where follower numbers significantly exceeded those of equivalent venues in the other councils. Members felt this demonstrated successful engagement and the effective use of social media to promote events and activities.

Officers also highlighted that the Youth Council was due to meet the following day and had specifically requested a discussion on social media usage. This would  ...  view the full minutes text for item 88

To consider the draft Social Media Policy and provide feedback prior to its presentation at Cabinet (report of the Assistant Director – Corporate enclosed).

Consideration was given to the report of the Assistant Director – Corporate which asked the members to consider the Social Media Policy prior to its presentation to Cabinet.

The Group Communications and Engagement Manager presented the report and ighlighted that:

The Policy was structured around three key elements:

• Reviewing how and why communications were delivered on social media, improving consistency, and reducing the current haphazard presentation caused by high volumes of content.
• Ensuring respectful behaviour online and maintaining inclusive conversations through standardised house rules across all three councils.
• Addressing the volume of comments and queries received on social media in a timely and consistent manner.
  • An audit had shown that a substantial number of comments across social media platforms required a more structured response process.

Members considered the report and made the following comments:

• Members supported the need for a consistent approach and queried whether Artificial Intelligence (AI) could assist with managing social media content.
  • The Group Communications and Engagement Manager advised that AI could support research and certain tasks, but it was not a complete solution for strategic communications. Transparency was emphasised as essential when using AI-generated content, and any such content would need to be clearly identified to maintain trust with residents.

• A Member referred to page 69 of the report, noting that the policy stated that AI-generated content would not be used unless clearly attributed when shared from stakeholders.
  • The Group Communications and Engagement Manager confirmed this aligned with the outlined approach.

• Members queried demographic data, noting that most followers appeared to be female, and asked whether this was linked to the timing of bulletins.
  • The Group Communications and Engagement Manager confirmed that the split was approximately 60% female across all councils and suggested this may relate to early adoption patterns of Facebook and its social nature. Demographic insights would help with future targeting strategies.

• Members commented on the randomness of some posts and suggested a more structured approach, such as themed weekly summaries and improved website integration, allowing residents to easily find posts relevant to specific services. It was further suggested that AI could be useful for improving website navigation and content retrieval.
  • The Group Communications and Engagement Manager clarified that while AI could assist in website functionality, this was outside the scope of the Social Media Policy. AI implementation would require a well-structured and indexed website, which was currently under review as part of the wider transformation programme.

• A member referred to the objectives section and queried the review of X (formerly Twitter) and BlueSky usage, noting that engagement on X had been minimal, with no comments in the last six months and the last post dating back to May.
  • The Group Communication and Engagement Manager explained that engagement on X had declined steadily over the past 18–24 months. Changes to X’s algorithms had negatively impacted public sector visibility, leading many organisations to reduce activity and explore alternative platforms. The partnership had paused activity on X pending further review.
  • The Group Communications and Engagement Manager  ...  view the full minutes text for item 54