Contact us by official email only say Garstang councillors

A Lancashire Town Council has voted to remove the personal phone numbers of councillors and their addresses from its website after concerns were raised by one councillor.
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Garstang Town Council has agreed that in future personal details of town councillors will not be listed on the council's website.

The decision to remove phone numbers and not carry councillor's addresses came following a plea from one of its own councillors.

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But the decision caused some controversy with veteran Councillor Roger Brooks voting against it. He pointed out that if people wished to find such information they could find it through other sources such as the electoral roll and that councillors had to fill in personal details on their application/nomination forms to stand for the council.

Coun Roger Brooks was not in favour of removing councillors' phone numbers from the council websiteCoun Roger Brooks was not in favour of removing councillors' phone numbers from the council website
Coun Roger Brooks was not in favour of removing councillors' phone numbers from the council website

A report to the council's February meeting this week noted that the council's clerk had been contacted by a councillor who did not want their address and telephone detailed in the public domain (website and notice boards) for personal and vulnerability reasons.

Councillors agreed that in future their contact details should be listed as their official council email only.

Coun Jonny Leech said he would propose that the personal information be redacted even though he did not particularly like the policy, but said it would be a good thing to do if a councillor is feeling vulnerable.

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Meanwhile clerk Edwina Parry is awaiting further guidance on the issue of personal information detailed in the public register of interests.

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