gdj Posted August 5, 2014 Report Share Posted August 5, 2014 Just came across this job advert on the council website. Surely this isn't allowed. We all know that Bill Wiggins used his council conservative connections in the past to wrongly block Jim Miller standing for a local election so you'd have thought the council would be very wary of appearing to favour him in advance of a general election. Helping to recruit his campaign team is showing political bias in my opinion. To also say that the job is to help Tory councillors in their campaigning is also using the council website inappropriately. So, there you go, IOC, Greens, Labour and Independents - an open goal for you. Position Details Reference: 3470 Closing date: 22 Aug 2014 (Midnight) Salary: £ - £ Hours: The role Campaign Manager for North Herefordshire Conservative Association We are looking for someone to run the office in Leominster and to help support the North Herefordshire Conservative Association Member of Parliament and County Councillors in the run up to the national and local elections in May 2015 and beyond. The job is part time and flexible but a minimum of 15hrs /week, competitive salary available dependant on experience. You will need to be an efficient administrator, able to self-manage and have strong IT user skills. An interest in politics and political campaigning would be an advantage. Further details at www.nhca.org.uk In the first instance, please send a CV and covering letter to: office@nhca.org.uk. Closing date Friday, 22nd August and interviews beginning of September 2014. Or maybe we should all apply! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ubique Posted August 5, 2014 Report Share Posted August 5, 2014 Doesn't rest comfortable with me - I hope that other posters including Cllrs who are knowledgeable about what is and what isn't allowed will update us . Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megilleland Posted August 5, 2014 Report Share Posted August 5, 2014 Section 2 - Use of Council Resources by Members 5.2.6 Use of the herefordshire.gov.uk address 5.2.6.1 The Council is statutorily prohibited from publishing material designed to affect public support for a political party. You must therefore not use your Council e-mail address (name@herefordshire.gov.uk) for this purpose nor, on a matter of controversy, to promote a point of view which is associated with a political party. Although the job application says "please send a CV and covering letter to: office@nhca.org.uk and that you cannot apply on-line through the council website" it would appear to get him off the hook. Not good practice though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ubique Posted August 5, 2014 Report Share Posted August 5, 2014 Megiland - thank you , had a feeling that you would come up with the answer - what's the next step to complain ? Hope that the recovery is going well? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flamboyant Posted August 5, 2014 Report Share Posted August 5, 2014 The advert states- The incumbent must be aware of the health and safety regulations pertaining to their work at any time and should take steps, wherever necessary, to protect the health and safety of others in the office. The incumbent’s principal place of employment is in the Leominster office although this can be flexible. The incumbent reports to the Chairman of the Committee of the North Herefordshire Conservative Association. The 'Incumbent' already has a job or have I got that wrong? Wiki- The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent(s). For example, in the 2012 United States presidential election, Barack Obama was the incumbent, because he had been the president in the previous term while the election sought to determine the president for the current term.... Are they trying to be clever or am I being dull? Why can't they speak plan English!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aylestone Voice Posted August 5, 2014 Report Share Posted August 5, 2014 Sorry - it really does not bother me. Surely there are bigger things to argue If it helps someone get a job then good luck to them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ubique Posted August 5, 2014 Report Share Posted August 5, 2014 Think that the test is - will they allow the other political parties to use the Council web site to advertise their vacancies - then where will it stop ....? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gdj Posted August 12, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2014 The job advert seems to have disappeared from the HC website (although the closing date is still not passed). I think this is a tacit acknowledgement that it shouldn't have been there. However, there is a new job on the site that looks suspiciously like the old one in disguise. A campaigning/IT office job based in Leominster but you have to phone someone in Shropshire council for details. Copied and pasted here for the record. Reference: 3488 Closing date: 29 Aug 2014 (Midnight) Salary: £ - £ Hours: The role Marketing Coordinator Salary: £19,000 Type: Fixed Term - Permanent Hours: Full Time Location: Leominster, Herefordshire Job Description Responsibilities may include: • Day-to-day management of client’s social media campaigns • Creating content for blogs, websites, brochures and other print collateral • Preparing media lists • Writing & distributing brand news releases • Assisting on campaign projects • Assisting on photo shoots • Liaising with clients and suppliers • Assisting with internal administration • Booking appointments • Answering the phones Person Specification • A recent graduate with a degree in marketing/communications or a business related subject • Strong writing skills and excellent grammar • A social media whizz, with experience in using Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Pinterest • Must have a portfolio of written work • An interest in marketing, branding and PR • Must thrive working in a team environment and be happy working to deadlines • A full clean driving licence • A passion for IT and software development (required) • Good communication skills • Good design sense • Good organisational skills with the ability to project manage To apply, please email Amanda.gosling@shropshire.gov.uk, and state the vacancy name. Sorry online application is not available for this job advert. If my suspicions are correct, someone is taking the approach - "To do this is wrong, so let's try to do it without anyone noticing". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megilleland Posted August 12, 2014 Report Share Posted August 12, 2014 Here is the job description from Work for an MP (W4MP) website. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ubique Posted August 12, 2014 Report Share Posted August 12, 2014 Simple question ,Do they really think that we are idiots ? AV i understand where you are coming from re employment but the way this is apparently turning out stinks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenda Powell Posted August 12, 2014 Report Share Posted August 12, 2014 It may be a coinsidence but I reported the Tory's were advertising on the council website and told the officer to take it off the website I was told by the officer "it is not allowed". So maybe they have listened and acted on what I said. It is even worse that it was written on House of Common headed paper! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dippyhippy Posted August 12, 2014 Report Share Posted August 12, 2014 Or maybe, Glenda, they perused the pages of Hereford Voice, read GDJ's informative post and realised the game was up! They actually couldn't get away with this one! (Reassuring to see that they still seek wish to recruit "passionate" people!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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