Government communicators should apply the principles set out above when planning and delivering communications activities that will take place during the election periods. [1][16], Care during periods of heightened sensitivity. Put your knowledge to the test in our quiz, If you consider yourself a 'proper Geordie' then see if you can answer these questions correctly, Sunderland must repeat last season's final day heroics to reach play-offs, says Patrick Roberts, Patrick Roberts scored a stunning equaliser against Watford at the weekend, but Sunderland have work to do if they are to make this season's Championship play-offs, Newcastle mum inspired by Dame Deborah James to tackle bowel cancer after being diagnosed aged 36, Emma Campbell, of Forest Hall, was diagnosed with breast cancer aged 36 after ordering a bowel cancer screening kit she'd seen on Facebook. Political row blew up over a tweet by Hartlepool Borough Council, since deleted, on the eve of the local elections, Sign up for free to get the latest North East news and updates delivered straight to your inbox. We contacted him and he issued a statement saying: "I announced last week that I will set up a Development Corporation in Hartlepool, similar to that of Teesworks in Redcar. Upload of May 2021 HTML "Rules around Purdah set out how public bodies, using public resources, should act during an election period. Councillors are still free to respond to enquiries received from the media in a personal capacity. Its a very significant announcement to be made this close to polling day and is certainly contrary to the spirit of the Purdah expectations. It is for individual public bodies to apply this pre-election guidance within their own organisations, but in doing so they should not go beyond the principles set out in this document. Councils should consider carefully before starting any new consultations or publish report findings from consultation exercises, which could be politically sensitive. The electoral system used to elect local councillors is Single Transferable Vote (STV), which requires voters to rank candidates in order of preference with 1 being the highest. Article Summary. Be selective if you are inviting local candidates/political parties/campaign groups/other politicians to your premises invitations should be sent to all or none. Publicity is defined in section 6(4) of the 1986 Act as any communication, in whatever form, addressed to the public at large or a section of the public. While the Labour Party will continue to whinge about anything I do for the area, I haven't broken any rules by doing my job and it seems to me my opponents realise just how popular this project will be in Hartlepool.". For the 8 June 2017 United Kingdom general election, the pre election period began on 22 April,[13] and for the 12 December 2019 United Kingdom general election, the pre-election period commenced on 6 November. Scottish Local Government Elections 2022; Downloads for the 5 May 2022 Scottish Local Government Elections . Its a double-edged sword: some favoured projects will get kicked into the long grass, never to see the light of day again. The term'heightened sensitivity is also used. 33. Elections in England are scheduled to be held on 4 May, with the Northern Ireland election scheduled to be held on 18 May. Voter ID requirement From 4 May 2023, voters in England will need to show photo ID to vote at polling stations in some elections. Unless it is a statutory duty or considered normal council business, such as budget consultations. The latest date for pre-election period starting for local authority elections is 29 March. Local authorities should pay particular regard to the legislation governing publicity during the period of heightened sensitivity before elections and referendums see paragraphs 7 to 9 of this code. 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In cases of doubt, guidance should be sought from the Government Communications Service in the Cabinet Office. Subject to the principles set out below, UK Government business can continue. This will apply to: In cases of doubt, you should consult your departmental Head of Profession for Statistics (who should consult the National Statistician if clarity is required) or your departmental Head of Profession for Social Research. For General Elections Purdah comes into effect at the start of the official election campaign (which by law must last for at least six weeks). The office of the National Statistician, and the Government Economic and Social Research Team can be contacted for further guidance. The answer is it does whilst it is not called Purdah. When local elections are being held at the same time as a general election, this higher standard is usually applied. In Muslim or Hindu societies, it referred to the practice of screening women from men or strangers, often involving a curtain or women being covered in certain garments. All rights reserved. How can we best deliver out of hospital care? Forthcoming elections and referendums Should you have any questions about the pre-election period, please do not hesitate to. WebRT @raycasey2003: Dirty Dozen - the Top12 #BenHouchen cronies No.8Denise McGuckin PART 2 OF 4 Denise McGuckin will do anything to please her Daddy Ben. During the election periods, statistical activities should continue to be conducted in accordance with the Code of Practice for Statistics and the Pre-release Access to Official Statistics Order 2008 (and / or the equivalent Orders made by the Devolved Administrations in relation to devolved statistics), which should be read as though it is part of that Code. Most notably, on polling day this extends to the media who are not allowed to discuss Politics while polling booth are open. The Publicity Code is issued under powers conferred on the Secretary of State under section 4(1) of the Local Government Act 1986 (the 1986 Act). I assume that this is what the Conservatives were up in arms about wrongly in my opinion as it was TfL when the Elizabeth Line opening was announced. We've contacted the council for comment. Be selective if you are inviting local candidates/political parties/campaign groups/other politicians to your premises invitations should be sent to all or none. If you do, remember to keep your policy around visits consistent and impartial. It is crucial that any decision you take would be seen as fair and reasonable by the public and those standing for office. However, in doing so, the basic test of whether the visit is for government purposes must be satisfied. On Twitter, Sadiq Khan hailed the most significant addition to our transport network in decades as he claimed the line would revolutionise travel across London and the South East. Keep any communications with local candidates/political parties/campaign groups/other politicians to a factual and apolitical basis apply the same approach to any requests for information, communications with the media and in the public sphere. If there are exceptional circumstances where launching a consultation is considered essential (for example, for safeguarding public health), advice should be sought from your Permanent Secretarys office (who may then seek advice from the Cabinet Office - see relevant paragraph). 33 organisations come together to ask Welsh Government ministers how they are working with officials to reduce the impact of inequalities and poverty. Director of the Welsh NHS Confederation Darren Hughes responds to the latest NHS performance statistics in Wales. Do these During the pre-election period, departments should carefully consider the timing of decisions and announcements in relation to large and/or contentious commercial contracts or grants which could have a bearing on matters relevant to the elections. Continue to plan campaigns post the pre-election period. Westgate Road epitomises the hustle and bustle of Newcastle, but just how clean are the restaurants and takeaways on the city centre staple? Purdah (pre-election period) - Wikipedia Although NHS staff are not generally regarded as civil servants, pre-election periods are increasingly enforced on NHS bodies. Six-in-ten or more say We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. The essential points from the code are: Publicity is defined as any communication, in whatever form, addressed to the public at large or to a section of the public. Any enquiries from the media should be handled by Departmental Press Officers. The Provider Podcast - Changing mindsets: Confronting white privilege in the NHS, The Provider Podcast - COVID-19 One Year On: Questions with Jeremy Hunt, Written submission to the Department for Health and Social Care on Reforming the Mental Health Act White Paper, NHS Providers response to Joint Committee on the Draft Mental Health Bill, The Leading Integration Peer Support Programme, Resources for parliamentarians and their staff, NHS Providers annual reports and accounts, 2022 local elections: pre-election period considerations for NHS providers. Instead it is called a period of heightened sensitivity. National World Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved. We use some essential cookies to make this website work. A short guide to purdah ahead of the May local and mayoral 21 Apr 2023 17:58:12 [1] The pre-election period also continues after the election during the time in which new MPs and ministers are sworn in. It is the six week, pre-election period - which begin on this occasion on March 21 - between the announcement of an election and the date the election is held. What is purdah? However, departments should avoid taking action that will compete with candidates for the attention of the public. WebPre-election Period (Purdah) Guidance For PCC Elections May 2020 1. As you will be aware, the local elections are due to take place on 4 May 2023 so I thought it would be useful to remind you about the guidelines and restrictions on publicity during the pre-election period that starts on 27 March 2023. Wednesday 27 April 2022. For many civil servants and local government staff, purdah can be a welcome opportunity for a breathing space while ministers and local politicians or, this May, mayoral candidates, are out on the stump, canvassing and drumming up support. Jeff Stelling leaving Sky Sports after 30 years with Soccer Saturday, Ryanair cancels 220 flights over May 1 bank holiday due to strikes, Hardcore coronation fans already camped outside Buckingham Palace, One dead and seven injured in Cornwall nightclub knife attack, Coronation Street actress Barbara Young dies aged 92, Eurovision acts land in Liverpool ahead of Song Contest, Council elections: Scottish Labour candidate Vanessa Shand axed after 'Catholic monarchy' comment and SNP's Siobhan Tolland urged to quit following Pope slur. It is permissible for local authorities to publish factual information which identifies the names, wards and parties of candidates at elections. At any other time - ie not during the run up to local elections - it would have appeared a positive enough tweet by Hartlepool Borough Council relaying good news to residents about new investment coming its way. [2][3][4][5][6][7], The use of purdah to refer to the period between the announcement of an election and the formation of a new elected body has fallen out of use in the UK following criticism of its sexist origins. On Thursday 5 May 2022, elections will be taking place: to the Northern Ireland Assembly; to a number of local authorities in England, Scotland and Wales, Find out what you need to know about publicity during the pre-election period. If you have any questions, there is more general information on the Electoral Commission website or you can call 01432 260107 or email elections@herefordshire.gov.uk. Again, in cases of doubt, further advice should be sought. A short guide to publicity during the pre-election period 3 March 2022. However this general principle is subject to any statutory provision which authorises expenditure being incurred on the publication of material designed to influence the public as to whether to support or oppose a question put at a referendum. The rules applies to all communications, including social media. Undertake any activity that could be considered politically controversial or influential, or could give rise to criticism that public resources are being used for party political/campaigning purposes. 5 April 2022 The pre-election period (previously referred to as purdah) refers to the period shortly before an election or referendum when specific restrictions For example, allowing certain public awareness activities that could be deemed party political including open board discussions on future strategy, market research and public rallies, and producing election materials or canvassing. We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services. Turnout in Scottish council elections in 2017 was also up by 8%, with 41% turnout overall. In addition there is something called Purdah, which is an important part of the election process in the UK. publish factual information to counteract misleading, controversial or extreme (for example, racist/sexist) information. This note provides guidance to civil servants working in the Scottish Government, its agencies Add Pre-Election Period Commences to your calendar using VCS format. BeeCollins#ProEU #PPR #FBPA on - Twitter This guidance provides advice on the publicity restrictions that should be observed during the pre-election period. that local NHS organisations observe the pre-election period from, guidance published by the Cabinet Office and the Civil Service. The convention sees a three to six week pre-election period of heightened sensitivity and increased care to respected by current councillors and elected representatives. For UK and devolved government departments the pre-election period for local elections is not But in the run-up to the UK referendum on leaving the EU, even this became politically charged, with some Eurosceptic Tory politicians arguing, successfully, that the government should not change the purdah rules. Care should also be taken in relation to proposed visits. Who's to say? Individual councillors can issue their own statements, write letters to the local newspaper(s) for publication, contact the media directly or say what they like in a personal capacity, but must not use council resources to do so. These cookies help make the website usable by enabling basic functions like page navigation and access to secure areas of the website. In some cases it may be better to defer an announcement until after the elections, but this would need to be balanced carefully against any implication that deferral could itself influence the political outcome. Find out about the Energy Bills Support Scheme, Statistical and social research activities, Non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) and other arms-length bodies (ALBs), Annex A: List of elections taking place in May 2022, nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3, principles set out at the beginning of this note, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/recommended-code-of-practice-for-local-authority-publicity.