COUNCILLORS have delayed a decision on introducing a new media policy that could gag elected representatives from speaking to the media.

Witney Town Council’s new communications and media working party met in private on Monday to discuss the Department for Communities and Local Government’s guide to ‘Open and accountable local government’.

In the special meeting of the policy and finance committee held in public afterwards, Councillor David Harvey said the working party “welcomed” the new legislation.

But he said it will wait for further information from the National Association of Local Councils (NALC) before it outlines its new media policy.

The council unveiled a draft media policy in April, which was modelled on NALC guidelines and said councillors would need to seek “prior written consent” from the town clerk before speaking or writing to the media.

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