Hucclecote councillors "will resign" if home addresses published online
HALF of Hucclecote Parish Council's say they may resign if forced to publish their addresses online.
Councillors have raised concerns about changes to rules on their register of interests and it is understood four are planning to hand in their notices.
Chairwoman Barbara Martin was among those unwilling to reveal where she lives.
She admitted: "It could lead to more problems with further councillors resigning.
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"I don't see any reason why anybody should want to know my address, let alone it be published for all to see on the internet. Anybody could arrive on my doorstep.
"I'm ex-directory but my address is on the electoral register held by Tewkesbury Borough Council and I think that's enough."
A parish councillor for 10 years, she has raised the issue with Tewkesbury council, but said she's "not sure how it's going to end".
The council is already down by one member and another is due to leave in May. If another four councillors resigned, it would leave them with just three members and unable to legally make decisions.
Hucclecote resident Simon McGill said he could 'respect' their stance and added: "I think that despite being in a public position, they should still be entitled to an element of privacy.
"There are other ways of engaging with them such as email and social media and these days addresses are pretty much the last resort. I do think they need to engage with the public more but that doesn't mean throwing open their private doors."
Tewkesbury Borough Council's solicitor Sara Freckleton said: "A number of our parish councillors have expressed concerns. I have written to the Information Commissioner and the Department for Communities and Local Government about these issues and whether there is any infringement in terms of data protection and human rights legislation. I am still waiting for this clarification."
3 Comments
by Shireresident
Thursday, January 24 2013, 11:13PM
“Not everyone has the internet so if you want to represent people letting them know where you live is simply good manners. I also think that being accessible is one of the great virtues of parish councils. If people are too afraid to let their voters know where they can be contacted they shouldn't run for office in the first place. If this lot throw their toys out of the pram it's letting everyone down they claim to want to serve.”
by IsitJimKerr
Thursday, January 24 2013, 12:51PM
“Why on earth are their addresses to be made public?
Register of interests should be an internal matter.
It's like saying I want my doctor's address, in case I get ill in the night.
Complete bo**ocks!”
by Douglasknows
Thursday, January 24 2013, 10:55AM
“The powers that be are sure to back down. I dont always agree with councillors but on this issue I do.”