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Email footer "crass and insensitive" |
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A political row has erupted between the LibDems and the Tories on Richmond Council over the addition of an invisible email footer on every message sent. The message read: "Making Richmond upon Thames the safest, cleanest and greenest borough on London", and it was not optional as it was automatically added - unseen by the sender but visible to the recipients. Once the LibDem councillors realised it was at the foot of their emails, and every other email going out from the council, they objected strongly. Calling it crass and insensitive, Cllr Sir David Williams said: "We believe that it was the communications unit that last seek decided to put the footer on the bottom of all the emails. We felt that it was a crass political statement. All members of the LibDem group and one member of the Conservatives objected strongly to this footer. The timing is unfortunate in the extreme. It is not only politically crass, it is an insensitively stupid thing to do when a terrible crime investigation is going on and people in the borough - particularly young women - are very worried." Cllr Serge Lourie, leader of the LibDem opposition group, added: "It is not an appropriate thing to put on the bottom of all council emails. We objected and the Tory administration have decided to withdraw it." "We see the aggressive politicised communications operation as the source of this," added Cllr Williams. Commenting on the row, Cllr Geoffrey Samuel, Conservative deputy leader of the council, said: "I like the idea of any organisation having a slogan, a theme. It can engage people if they can see a key motto - it is like a mission statement in three or four words and one of the best ways to get staff motivated. As to whether you should have it on an email is I think a bit more doubtful. And you need to ensure everyone is on board with it." Friday, August 27, 2004
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