Experts have said pre-election period restrictions are causing misunderstandings among officers after minister rapped a council amid claims it had taken things too far.
Eastbourne BC had told MP and former member Caroline Ansell it could not reply to her casework enquiries ahead of election day on 4 May.
She told the House of Commons: ‘I will not know whether the council has lifted eviction orders or responded to dangerous damp conditions - the list goes on.’
Ms Ansell said the situation would ‘compromise what I can do to support’ constituents and labelled the approach ‘wholly disproportionate’.
Local government minister Lee Rowley backed Ms Ansell, adding: ‘Eastbourne BC is wrong.
'The pre-election period does not stop councils from responding to MPs and they should do so.’
Chair of public sector communications body LGComms, Andy Allsopp, said the Eastbourne case appeared ‘unusual’.
Richard Stokoe, a former senior local government communications officer, said council staff often went ‘with the most cautious approach’ where there were any doubts over the restrictions, adding: ‘Some people are overly and unnecessarily cautious and don’t understand the rules.’
Eastbourne said a ‘clarification has been shared with officers’.
This article was originally published by The MJ (£)
