THE way your town council communicates with the press came under scrutiny at a recent meeting.

On Monday (June 18), Burnham and Highbridge Town Council’s policy and finance committee voted to adopt updated guidelines and install town clerk, Tatiana Cant, as press officer, dealing with all media queries.

The move means councillors will no longer speak directly to members of the press, including your Burnham and Highbridge Weekly News, and instead refer questions to Ms Cant.

At the meeting, councillors were handed a letter from Paul Jones, editor of your Weekly News, outlining concerns over the policy, after reporters were told not to contact councillors regarding the Burnham Evolution project.

Ms Cant, said: “This issue comes as I have recently been in correspondence with the press about the Burnham Evolution project.

“It was under decision and I was unwilling to encourage councillors to make comments to the press.

“Our policy does require that press comments come through our town clerk chairman.”

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Mr Jones’ letter read: “I’m sure the council would agree it is of paramount importance the guidelines are not misinterpreted, risking the opposite result of that intended, meaning the actions of the council become more difficult for members of the press – the public – to communicate.

“With this in mind, I write to emphasise that the guidelines themselves state how a member of the council ‘may respond in accordance with the guidance contained in this policy’ to enquiries from the press.

“In short, they are not intended to ‘gag’ councillors, or to prevent them speaking to the public (the press), or to impose a statutory ‘rule’ by which all comments must be reviewed by the council, through the town clerk or otherwise.

“Any such ‘rule’ could inhibit the ability of councillors to communicate with those they are elected to represent which, I’m sure you would agree, would not be in the interests of a transparent, democratic council.”

Councillor David Hoggarth, said it is ‘easy’ for councillors to comment on issues and have them ‘misinterpreted’.

“There is no way I know lots of things in detail, there are a lot of initiatives and policies and I am sure councillors will agree it is difficult,” Cllr Hoggarth said.

“It is very easy to make a comment on something and for it later be misinterpreted.

“I agree with with the response that the town clerk is making.”

Councillor Andy Brewer, said “I have been contacted a number of times by the press and if I am unsure of something I will just ask to call them back later.

“I contact the officer for advice, the view I give is based on what was said at our meeting, that was something that was discussed openly and democratically.

“Sometimes we can be caught off guard, I will ask to call the person back and then I will phone the officer so I know what we can say.

“I think the town council can be caught off guard and we should have a policy.”

Councillors from the town council’s policy and finance committee on Monday (June 18) unanimously voted in favour of the approving the reviewed policy.