These should be organised by political parties with no cost or resource implications for the council. May 2021 elections. Thank you for signing up to our Politics newsletter. Unless it is a statutory duty or considered normal council business, such as budget consultations. This document provides advice on the publicity restrictions that should be observed during the pre-election period. Patrick Kidd. When making your decision, you should consider the following: You should also think carefully before you: If you are in any doubt, seek advice from your returning officer and/or monitoring officer, legal or communications colleagues. However, immediately after the deal was concluded Scottish health secretary Jeane Freeman said: "Following positive discussions with NHS unions and employees the Scottish Government has put forward an offer of the biggest single pay uplift since devolution for NHS Agenda … Consultation Digest (National) Issue 5, 12 March 2021: Transport projects for a low-carbon Scotland - GoBike There must be an election coming! The latest date that the pre-election period can start for the London elections is Monday 22 March 2021. 6 May 2021 local and London elections It is still possible for the council to issue statements on behalf of a councillor holding a key political or civic position provided it relates to important events which are outside the council’s control and can be shown to justify a member response. If the campaign is already running and is non-controversial (for example, on issues like recruitment, recycling or foster care) and would be a waste of public money to cancel or postpone them, then continue. Scotland has now entered the pre-election "purdah" period ahead of elections for the Scottish Parliament on 6 May. Sign up for our daily Politics briefing for political exclusives, analysis and debate. These restrictions apply to all elections happening during this period. The election is currently expected to be held on the 6th of May 2021. This pre-election period (or ‘purdah’) usually starts six weeks before the election date. ... Energy Voice 2021. Upload of May 2021 guidance. While there are effectively no MSPs now, the Scottish Government retains its responsibility to govern and ministers are still responsible for their portfolios throughout the period. Upload of May 2021 HTML version. The pre-election period (know previously as ‘purdah’) refers to the period shortly before an election or referendum when specific restrictions on the activity of public bodies, civil servants and local government officials are put in place. This document provides advice on the publicity restrictions that should be observed during the pre-election period. Something went wrong - please try again later. It is important to note that pre-election rules restrict activity wider than just publicity. But staff are reminded to take “particular care” to observe these rules during the election period. © Aberdeen Journals Ltd 2021. Membership and services for councils and councillors, Licences, regulations and trading standards. 18 March 2021. This Delivery Plan applies to all polls in England and to Police and Crime Commissioner elections in England and Wales on 6 May 2021. Paid-for advertising must comply with the Advertising Standards Authority’s Advertising Codes. Consider suspending the hosting of third party material or closing public forums if these are likely to breach the code of practice. Under normal circumstances, the Scottish Parliament would have been expected to dissolve on March 25, signalling the start of purdah. Under the Scottish Ministerial Code and the Civil Service Code, public resources can not be used for political purposes at any time, and civil servants always have to remain impartial. Scottish General Election (Coronavirus) Act 2021, Scottish Election 2021: Track the Race for the Scottish Parliament election live, Morning Briefing: Everything you need to know for May 7, Scottish election: Millions vote in Holyrood’s ‘most important’ election, Urgent appeal for missing 75-year-old Aberdeen man, Moray vaccination programme accelerated for all over 18s, Cove Rangers look to take next step on their journey in League One play-offs, Steven Mackay says all is not lost if Brora Rangers show bravery in pyramid play-off return leg against Kelty Hearts, Summer Sizzlers: Green veg and feta tabbouleh will get National Vegetarian Week off to the perfect start, Gavin Price praised by Elgin chairman Graham Tatters for play-off target hit. Civil servants are told they can provide official support to ministers on any essential business that can not be deferred until after the election. Find out if there's a by-election where you live. It is crucial that any decision you take would be seen as fair and reasonable by the public and those standing for office. However, the Scottish General Election (Coronavirus) Act 2021 delayed dissolution until the day before the vote, on May 5 2021. One of the signs is the reduction in the number of new consultations from the Scottish Government as it wraps up its … Mark Scates via SNS Group The poll was conducted by Ipsos MORI between November … It should be read in conjunction with any guidance produced by your own Returning Officer or Monitoring Officer, which provides specific advice depending on your local circumstances. Nearly half of all adults in Scotland live with at least one long term condition. In relation to decision making within the council, the position remains that it is ‘business as usual’ unless there are very good reasons why this should not be the case. 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’. The Times Diary: Drawing veil over purdah. The Scottish Government made a dozen announcements in just two hours as a flurry of spending promises were made a day before "purdah" rules kicked in. The Ofcom regulator, meanwhile, issues guidance to broadcasters on impartiality rules they must apply in the run-up to elections. Purdah rules: guidance for civil servants before the general election – and when parliament is dissolved ‘Purdah’ is the word for the pre-election period. help with national political visits (as this would involve using public money to support a particular candidate or party). Because of Covid-19, there are some changes to how the Parliament prepares for the election. 2nd January (substitute day) (Scotland) 1 Mar: St. David's Day (Wales) 17 Mar: St Patrick's Day (Northern Ireland) 2 Apr: Good Friday: 4 Apr: Easter Sunday: 5 Apr: Easter Monday (ENG, NIR, WAL) 5 Apr: Easter Monday (Scotland) The Audit Scotland report criticises the slow rate of improvement and it highlights the attainment Scotland fund, but it also makes the point that the attainment fund needs to change. The first question to ask is ‘could a reasonable person conclude that you are spending public money to influence the outcome of the election?’ In other words it must pass the ‘is it reasonable’ test. ... industry has the certainty it needs to sign off investment plans before the start of the Scottish Parliament’s pre-election purdah period on March 25. Published Scottish referendum guidance for … continue to discharge normal council business (including budget consultations or determining planning applications, even if they are controversial). The LGA would like to thank LGcommunications, Coventry City Council, Warwickshire County Council and Eastleigh Borough Council in the creation of this document. Launch any new consultations. In general, authorities should not issue any publicity which seeks to influence voters, ensure that publicity relating to policies and proposals from central government is balanced and factually accurate, and comply with laws which prohibit political advertising on television or radio. Local government sometimes views this period as a time when communications has to shut down completely. Purdah is the period in the United Kingdom between the announcement of an election and the formation of the new elected government. Scottish Renewables. The government proposal not to apply restrictions on government activity in the campaign period before the EU referendum has been met with vociferous complaints. These occasions are likely to be rare and to be the exception, rather than the rule. All 129 Members of the Scottish Parliament will be elected in the sixth election since the parliament was re-established in 1999. For as little as £5.99 a month you can access all of our content, including Premium articles. From the start of the pre-election period, the council must comply with restrictions outlined in Section 2 of the Local Government Act 1986. Decisions on matters of policy on which the next government might want to take a different view from the current administration are expected to be delayed, however. Section: Policy into Practice. This is not the case, and the ordinary functions of councils can continue, but some restrictions do apply, by law. This Bill was created to make sure the election is held on 6 May 2021 as planned and to provide options if it looks like this is not possible closer to the time. All Rights Reserved. We have now entered a period often called “purdah” in which restrictions have been imposed in the run-up to the Holyrood election on May 6. Find out more in our Election 2021 pages Section 44 of the Act makes clear that councils need to have regard to the code of recommended practice. Publicity relating to individuals involved directly in the election should not be published unless expressly authorised by statute. As with so much else, the ongoing Coronavirus Pandemic means that could change at short notice, though by … Of those five parties, two changed their leader since the 2016 election. The decision has been taken with the support of Scottish Government Ministers. annex A – template letter to councillors. You are allowed to publish factual information which identifies the names, constituencies and parties of candidates at elections. publish factual information to counteract misleading, controversial or extreme (for example, racist/sexist) information. King of the Swindlers – The inside story on the north-east financial adviser who stole £13 million, Hidden Hurt: Our special investigation into domestic abuse, Pandemic Pedal Power: Our series on cycling and active travel, History of Drugs: Our special series on how evil trade spread in North-east from 1980 to 2000. issues guidance to broadcasters on impartiality rules they must apply in the run-up to elections. Also known as the “pre-election period”, or the “period of sensitivity”, the custom aims to prevent governments from making decisions that could be viewed as an inappropriate attempt to provide an advantage to a particular party or candidate in the six weeks before the election. The 2021 Scottish Parliament election will be held on 6 May 2021 under the provisions of the Scotland Act 1998. Wednesday March 17 2021, 12.01am GMT, The Times. London is also holding elections for Mayor of London and the London Assembly. This Act provides for a change to the date of the Scottish Parliament general election that would otherwise be held on 7 May 2020 to instead be held on 6 May 2021. The Act defines publicity as “any communication, in whatever form, addressed to the public at large or to a section of the public.”. Use of council facilities and resources; the member’s code of conduct, developing new policies and holding of events (including some meetings) featuring elected officials should all be carefully considered during a period of heightened sensitivity. Next week marks the start of the countdown to the local elections (I … This aimed to provide a safety net that would allow the parliament to be able to be recalled in order to debate and pass emergency legislation if required, including delaying the election if the situation with the pandemic deteriorated and made voting unsafe. An example might be a campaign on an issue which has been subject of local political debate and/or disagreement. It affects civil servants, who must be politically impartial, preventing central and local government from making announcements about any new or controversial government initiatives that could be seen to be advantageous to any candidates or parties in the forthcoming election. 25 March 2021. The guidance for civil servants on their role and conduct during the election campaign period before the elections on 5 May 2016 (which included the A May 2021 polls delivery plan is now available on the government website . In the vast majority of cases, the pre-election period will have no impact on normal council business, including the approval of planning decisions. 11 February 2021. The pre-election period, previously known as ‘purdah’, describes the period of time immediately before elections or referendums when specific restrictions on communications activity are in place. The terms ‘pre-election period’ and ‘heightened sensitivity’ are now used instead. The latest date that the pre-election period can start for the local elections is Monday 29 March 2021. It’s expected Scotland will remain under Covid-19 restrictions into 2021. The pre-election restrictions are governed by Section 2 of the Local Government Act 1986. Councils should consider carefully before starting any new consultations or publish report findings from consultation exercises, which could be politically sensitive. Councillors are still free to respond to enquiries received from the media in a personal capacity. The depressing truth is that cynical Sturgeon's NHS bribe will probably work The SNP could never afford such a spending splurge outside the Union, but that's not likely to put off Scottish voters Under normal circumstances, the Scottish Parliament would have been expected to dissolve on March 25, signalling the start of purdah. The term 'heightened sensitivity’ is also used. Scottish Parliament: The election will be held in May 2021. The publication of press notices and information regarding the holding of polls are exempt from these restrictions as is providing factual responses to specific requests for information, for example, information about how people can register to vote. By Calum Ross March 25, 2021… Generally, the Act says that we should “not publish any material which, in whole, or in part, appears to be designed to affect public support for a political party.” The Code of Practice recommends that authorities should generally not issue any publicity which seeks to influence voters and that publicity relating to individuals involved directly in the election should not be published unless expressly authorised by statute. A number of authorities will have elections on Thursday 6 May 2021 including those postponed in May 2020. As you will be aware, the local elections are due to take place on 6 May 2021 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 xxxx. One side argues that no purdah restrictions would allow the use of government resources and public money in a way that would unfairly benefit the side which the Government sought to support. The use of the word “purdah” is often criticised as being sexist because it is derived from the custom in some Muslim and Hindu cultures of keeping women from being seen by men they are not related to by having them live in a separate part of the home or behind a curtain or veil. is issued with care during periods of heightened sensitivity. The Scottish Parliament is in recess ahead of the election on 6 May. Scottish Parliament Election - 6 May 2021: guidance for the Scottish Government, its agencies and National Devolved Public Bodies UK Government ministers and officials have also been told the same, although generally they can continue their business “unaffected”. However, you should always think carefully if a campaign could be deemed likely to influence the outcome of the election. At elections in the UK, it refers to rules covering government civil servants, who must remain politically neutral, as well as ministers, who traditionally avoid making significant, new announcements relating to the use of public money. However, the Scottish … This could include responding to a major incident or public health crisis, including the pandemic, or any case where postponing a decision would be detrimental to Scotland’s interest or would be wasteful to public resources. In such cases you should stop or defer them. Do not publish any publicity on controversial issues or report views on proposals in a way which identifies them with candidates or parties. The council can still issue media releases on factual matters provided that these do not identify individual councillors or groups of councillors. produce publicity on matters which are politically controversial, make references to individual candidates or parties in press releases, arrange proactive media or events involving candidates, issue photographs which include candidates, supply council photographs or other materials to political group staff unless you have verified that they will not be used for campaigning purposes, continue hosting third party blogs or e-communications. These are: Local council elections in England; I hope this letter provides you with the general information you need for the pre-election period, but if you have specific concerns or queries, please feel free to contact xxxx. About the guidance You can find more information from the following: Guidelines and restrictions on decision making and publicity during the pre-election period. Following this week’s announcement of the result of The Crown Estate’s offshore wind leasing auction for sites in waters around England and Wales, Crown Estate Scotland is reviewing the option structure for their ScotWind Leasing process. The pre-election restrictions are governed by Section 2 of the Local Government Act 19862, as amended in 1988.3 Essentially councils should ‘not publish any material which, in whole or in part, appears to be designed to affect public support for a political party’. Purdah … In response to requests from council communications teams to produce simple guidance to communicating during the pre-election period (previously known as ‘purdah’), we are publishing this short, updated guide. 2021 Scottish Election Manifesto. Local council by-elections are taking place across Scotland in autumn and winter 2020. referring to advice published by your Returning Officer and/or Monitoring Officer, the Code of Recommended Practice on Local Authority Publicity. The Act was passed so that the general election to the Scottish Parliament did not coincide with the then scheduled general election to the UK Parliament. The latest date that the pre-election period can start for the local elections is Monday 29 March 2021. Local Government Association company number 11177145, A short guide to publicity during the pre-election period, Annex A: Template letter for sending to councillors ahead of local elections. Scottish Election 2021: Political parties promise more action on animal welfare. Ultimately, you must always be guided by the principle of fairness. At all times, local authorities should ensure that publicity complies with all applicable statutory provisions, including the Code of Recommended Practice on Local Authority Publicity 2011. The ALLIANCE manifesto calls for forward-thinking, far-reaching action in health and social care. You can find out more in the Policy Memorandum that explains the Bill. The parliament did however move into a “pre-election recess” period on March 25, and the usual “purdah” restrictions apply as normal. In general you should not issue any publicity which seeks to influence voters (an exception being situations covered by legislation or regulations directing publication of information for explanatory purposes). A number of elections are scheduled to take place on 6 May 2021, including those postponed in May 2020. This guide provides advice and guidance on the publicity restrictions that should be observed by local authorities during the pre-election period. The Code of Recommended Practice on Local Authority Publicity is based around seven principles to ensure that all communications activity: This last principle, to ensure special care is taken during periods of heightened sensitivity, is of particular relevance during the pre-election period. 11 February 2021. Douglas Ross was interviewed on 4 April[81], with Nicola Sturgeon set to be interviewed on 11 April; Willie Rennie on 18 April; Patrick Harvie on 25 April; and Anas Sarwar on 2 May. In addition a Code of Recommended Practice on Local Authority Publicity published in 2011 makes clear that particular care should be taken in periods of heightened sensitivity, such as in the run up to an election. A number of authorities will have elections on Thursday 6 May 2021 including those postponed in May 2020. 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. Continue to run campaign material to support your own local campaigns. Purdah is typically the pre-election period in which civil servants are expected to refrain from making any announcements that concern new or controversial government initiatives. 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