For Derbyshire County Council employees
Subscribe for updates
Subscribe for updates
Search toggle
Menu
     
close menu
Home Working here Marketing guidance and corporate style Dealing with the media

Dealing with the media

Our elected members - cabinet and council - set and agree our policies. They are accountable for them and can make public their views on them.

Our officers deliver our policies and cannot use their position to promote their own views on those policies.

Media enquiries

All media enquiries - made to officers in their professional capacity - should be referred to our communications team. Officers should not speak to the media on our behalf unless they have prior approval. The only exception is when the answer to a question is contained in factual, published information which would normally be available to the media and the public.

Media interviews

Requests for media interviews should always be referred to our communications team. All media interview opportunities will be discussed with elected members to agree the most appropriate response and / or interviewee. Officers may - on occasion - be asked to deliver an interview when detailed technical knowledge is required.

Comments, news releases and statements

Comments, news releases and statements are usually drafted by the communications team and will normally be agreed with senior or chief officers and the appropriate cabinet member or the council leader.

Officers should not agree to speak as our representative at public meetings without the approval of their line manager. The exception to this rule applies to officers who - as members of professional bodies - are asked to speak at meetings or conferences on technical issues associated with their profession.

Contact

If you need any more advice, please contact the communications team, email: news@derbyshire.gov.uk