Number of council staff suspended for breaching social media rules on the rise
The number of UK council workers suspended after being accused of breaking social media rules rose last year, it has emerged.
According to a report by BBC Radio 5 Live, responses to a freedom of information request revealed that more than 51 workers were suspended, up 19%. However, only a minority were later dismissed or resigned, it said.
In total 114 council staff were issued with warnings, down 4% on 2014.
The responses also showed that 11 people had been suspended for viewing online porn, down 27%.
A total of 169 councils provided data in response to the FOI request. A further 22 refused to respond and 27 did not reply. The radio station also noted that not all councils included school staff in their replies.
Amongst individual responses:
- St Helens Metropolitan Borough Council took action against seven people over the period, several for offences involving Facebook, but did not provide Radio 5 Live with details of the circumstances.
- East Riding of Yorkshire Council said it suspended two teachers for befriending pupils on Facebook, among other issues. In one case, it said, the teacher had attempted to arrange a meeting with the child via the social network.
- Swindon Borough Council said it suspended a worker for making threatening comments towards a colleague on Facebook.
- Leeds Council took action against two employees over racial comments they had made online.
A spokesman for the Local Government Association told the BBC: "Councils are clear that while some personal use of social media at work is acceptable, it must be reasonable and appropriate in terms of both the time spent and the content. The vast majority of council employees abide by that.
"Councils take very seriously any misuse and, as these figures show, will deal robustly with cases that are unacceptable."
