Email sent this afternoon (Monday)

Good Afternoon Elaine,

Can you advise when I can expect a reply to my two recent questions please.

Kind Regards

Tom

Reply

I am now out of the office on annual leave and will return on Wednesday 14 August. For queries regarding marketing, print, design and events please contact Joanne Quinn on x 3101.

For press queries please contact the following media officers:

Jim Buchan - 0141-577-8419

Claire Smith - 0141-577-3998

Anne Caine - 0141-577-3853

Thank you.

Elaine Dyer

Corporate Communications Manager

On this example we may have to wait at least three weeks to receive a 'no comment'

The question may be do the PR Section of ERC respond to legitimate enquiries and or questions, or are they under instructions to blank anything that may be difficult.

Not only did the Corporate Communications Manager fail to deal with the two simple questions, she failed to respond and went on leave without saying goodbye and left them hanging in the air and had we not emailed for a response we would not have known that she was off on her holidays.

Is that a professional approach to PR, or the instructions from the Chief Executives Department.?

Would they blank enquires from the Record or the Sun for three weeks, I don't think so.

Are ERC PR staff (which does not stand for propaganda but Public Relations) only permitted to speak about matters in positive terms, and are not permitted to speak when asked relevant and pertinent questions.

Does this strategy, if it exits, extend to others within the council, starting at the top.

Does Leader Fletcher respond to every question, or are there occasions when he remains silent.



The answer is - we have asked him questions and his response has been - No Response

Apart from Leader Fletcher who else have we had making 'No Comment' to our requests.