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Brighton council criticised for spending thousands on Facebook officer (From The Argus)
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Brighton council criticised for spending thousands on Facebook officer
2:00pm Friday 4th September 2009
A council is facing criticism for spending thousands on a new media officer to use Facebook and Twitter when other staff are facing pay cuts.
Brighton and Hove City Council has advertised for a social media officer to “increase visibility, build our brand and learn about our audiences by utilising social media.”
The officer, who will be hired on a six month temporary contract, will be paid an annual salary of between £24,402 and £28,353.
The move has been branded “insensitive” by opposition councillors who pointed to City Clean workers facing a pay cut of up to £8,000.
In all council bosses spend about £575,000 on spin and communications.
Green Party councillor Ben Duncan said: “It is essential the council communicates with residents but £600,000 is an awful lot of money.
“The time is not right to be spending more on media.
“Times are hard for everyone and not least for the council but City Clean workers are facing between £2,000 and £8,000 a year pay cut.
“I don't have a problem with the council spending money on PR or on embracing new media but the timing of it is insensitive.
“It is not exactly a PR victory for the council.
“This will rankle with people facing pay cuts and unemployment.”
The social media officer will use networking websites such as Facebook, Twitter and MySpace to talk about the council.
Coun Duncan added that instead of hiring new people to keep up to date with new media, the council should train existing staff.
He said: “If it is appropriate for them to be using social networking sites to improve services then it would be appropriate for existing staff to be suitably trained.
“It is a nice idea but the timing is all wrong.”
The council also produces a free newspaper, City News, at an annual cost of £126,000, which is delivered to 107,000 homes in Brighton and Hove.
A spokesman said the publication is cost neutral as the its production cost is met through advertising.
Deputy Council Leader Ayas Fallon-Khan has defended the creation of the post as a way of communicating with residents.
Coun Fallon-Khan, who is also the cabinet member responsible for council communications, said: “Social media gives us a unique opportunity to tell the council’s story direct to residents in a really authentic way, which encourages conversation and feedback. We are not able to do this simply by pumping out leaflets and press releases.
“If we can use this post to understand better what huge swathes of the city’s people want and expect in return for their council tax, then it is £12,000 well spent. It is absolutely not only about Facebook and other famous websites – but far more about having a presence in the multitude of online spaces where people talk about the council and want to hear from it.”
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Your Say YourArgus
superlative, Brighton says...
2:57pm Fri 4 Sep 09
Is that like a paper cut, but all the way along?
Jo Wadsworth, web editor, The Argus says...
3:12pm Fri 4 Sep 09
superlative wrote:Thanks for spotting the typo superlative - it's now been changed.
"City Clean workers facing a page cut"
Is that like a paper cut, but all the way along?
Crunchie, says...
3:57pm Fri 4 Sep 09
Granny wrote:Said the person writing comments on a newspaper website.
Facebook and Twitter???? Go to a shop selling life and buy one!
D'OH!
k0ala, says...
4:04pm Fri 4 Sep 09
How much that's going to cost to train those morons that works at the council? Coun Duncan, get some proper facts and figures out before making such nonsense comments.
The ghost of Osama bin there, Tora Bora mountain hideout says...
4:28pm Fri 4 Sep 09
I'm not interested in preserving old fashioned, useless jobs at the Council. If by employing one person to deal with online stuff they can give p45s to 5 others I'm all for it.
Councils always have too many people on their staff.
couldbeakiller, the H the O the V the E says...
5:04pm Fri 4 Sep 09
bug eye, hove says...
5:10pm Fri 4 Sep 09
Drible, Hove actually says...
5:10pm Fri 4 Sep 09
Crunchie wrote:At least it is productive use of time on Grannys part. May I add that this newspaper website is educational and written by educated people unlike the council????
Granny wrote: Facebook and Twitter???? Go to a shop selling life and buy one!Said the person writing comments on a newspaper website. D'OH!
This website is informative and also a good way to communicate ones feelings on given subjects.
Why the heck would I want to go onto a council website. I mean what would I learn from it other than the fact that they waste tax payers money?????/
Lil, Worthing says...
5:22pm Fri 4 Sep 09
Drible wrote:That's a pretty bad attitude. There's usually lots of great bits buried away on council websites, some are better than others mind.
Crunchie wrote:At least it is productive use of time on Grannys part. May I add that this newspaper website is educational and written by educated people unlike the council????
Granny wrote: Facebook and Twitter???? Go to a shop selling life and buy one!Said the person writing comments on a newspaper website. D'OH!
This website is informative and also a good way to communicate ones feelings on given subjects.
Why the heck would I want to go onto a council website. I mean what would I learn from it other than the fact that they waste tax payers money?????/
E.g. this:
http://www.worthing.
gov.uk/worthings-ser
vices/finance/worthi
ngssummaryaccounts20
0809/
Useful summary of the accounts which doesn't take 5 days to decipher. It may simplify it too much but it's a pretty good resource on the whole.
I think it's very easy to see the council as this grey obelisk that is inhuman and wakes up each day to f*ck everything up but I don't think that's the intention.
The Argus is in some respects just as much as a subjective representation of issues as many council websites are on some facets of where they see themselves.
But to complete ignore what the council does by not using its website which you pay for through your taxes, well, that seems a little narrow minded.
Lil, Worthing says...
5:23pm Fri 4 Sep 09
"Yeah I love you guys cos you take money from me each month!"
MarcoPolo, Brighton says...
6:01pm Fri 4 Sep 09
Christophe Hawtree, Hove says...
6:42pm Fri 4 Sep 09
In any case, people are chucking in MySpace etc because people like Brighton Counci are making them uncool, whatever.
As for Twitter, can anybody envisage the Council confining itself to 148 characters? It's amazing if it can say anything simple in 148 words usually. and indeed it prefers to take 148 pages...
"I am the chief exec and in Hotel du Vin where the pudding course is tempting..."
yorkie44, Woodingdean says...
6:46pm Fri 4 Sep 09
Chinadoll7, Hove says...
6:53pm Fri 4 Sep 09
TheInsider, Brighton says...
7:00pm Fri 4 Sep 09
This is clearly the idea of someone who has no idea about how easy these are to use/utilise.
Morons.
Boris D, Btn says...
10:16pm Fri 4 Sep 09
stan bailey, brighton says...
10:21pm Fri 4 Sep 09
yorkie44 wrote:Same here, it would help if they could answer the phone and emails before embarking on other media
I have used a computer for years but have never felt the need to even look at Facebook or Twitter. Just how many residents do they think they will be able to communicate with. In my experience the council is not in the least bit interested in comments from residents. As for the purpose being to "learn about our audiences " - this just sums up the council - the residents are now just here to view and listen to what the council does. First passengers became customers not we have council tax payer becoming an audience! There is only one message I want from the council and that is one reducing my taxes.
Andy R, Hove says...
7:30am Sat 5 Sep 09
bug eye wrote:Crikey! In the codswallop stakes this really does beat all - and against such strong competition too.
£12000 well spent if it will keep people better informed whats going on and therefore boost the economy and the city. training the mindless workers already employed will be more costly and as for the previous administration they were the masters of spin at more cost. with regards to city clean facing reduced pay, these workers must realise their jobs are at the bottom of the pay scale and top of the skiving scale, they have had it good, why not give these jobs to the benefit claimants so they can work for their benefits. all council staff should be made to reapply for their jobs, and weed the dead wood out with huge savings to the taxpayer, we never used to have so many employed by the council with ridiculous titles and subtitles, not many I have come across are worth what they are paid, in fact they are a menace to this city, especially the highways team.
Ever heard that old saying? "Better to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool, than open it and remove all doubt".
David Panter, Kemp Town says...
11:41am Sat 5 Sep 09
yorkie44 wrote:Yorkie44: does your name include your age by any chance? I think you'll find most of us a generation younger than you use Facebook, Twitter, and such crazy modern inventions as YouTube, every day. Maybe you should move with the times. The average age in Brighton is 28, you know. At least if the council used FB and Twitter properly they could tell me when my bin was going to be collected etc. No sign of our recycling collection yesterday for no apparent reason at all - now it is all hanging round in the street being knocked about by seagulls.
I have used a computer for years but have never felt the need to even look at Facebook or Twitter. Just how many residents do they think they will be able to communicate with. In my experience the council is not in the least bit interested in comments from residents. As for the purpose being to "learn about our audiences " - this just sums up the council - the residents are now just here to view and listen to what the council does. First passengers became customers not we have council tax payer becoming an audience! There is only one message I want from the council and that is one reducing my taxes.
greeg, glasgow says...
1:04am Sun 6 Sep 09
yorkie44, Woodingdean says...
4:51pm Sun 6 Sep 09
John B, The Moon says...
10:41pm Sun 6 Sep 09
Tye, Brighton says...
8:40am Mon 7 Sep 09
JRH, Brighton says...
12:47pm Thu 10 Sep 09
... Is threatened by the idea that B&H CC might start talking to its own constituents without their 'help'
If I were the Argus, I'd be scared too.
kates, says...
1:06pm Thu 10 Sep 09
They reach a huge amount of people with important messages via these mediums for very low cost - in my mind great use of tax payers money.
How exciting to be a part of a borough where the council are forward thinking enough to lead on this issue, we constantly use them as examples of how to with clients.
Well done Brighton & Hove Council - your digital stuff is great!!!
Best for the new bod too when they get in, looking forward to seeing what you do next.
Kate.
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Granny, Brighton says...
2:54pm Fri 4 Sep 09