Tag Archives: leadership centre for local government

Social media explained in a new guide for councillors

By Helen Duffett | Tue 23rd March 2010 - 3:35 pm

The Leadership Centre for local government has launched a new website: The councillors’ guide to social media.

The site has a variety of information for councillors, and is particularly accessible for those who haven’t yet tried this way of communicating.

Here’s a flavour:

Top ten reasons to use social media

Banished! Ten social media myths

Getting started

Top ten councillors on Twitter which features four Liberal Democrats (including Lib Dem Voice editors Sara Bedford and Alex Foster).

Opportunities not taken is particularly interesting, as it highlights areas for improvement. It says that councillors and officers tend to face cultural, rather than technical barriers to using social media. Some councils still lack a clear social media policy for councillors or officers, either in a personal or professional capacity. Many councils routinely block access to social networking sites on their computers. The guide suggests ways for councillors to hold their councils to account over their social media approach.

Connected councillors – a guide to using social media to support local leadership – is available as an interactive version and also downloadable as a pdf.

The site also features a video of Lib Dem Councillor for Redlands (and 2009 LDV Blog of the Year shortlistee for her use of social media) Daisy Benson explaining why she uses social media: