Council gets message about email etiquette

Wellington city councillors are being asked not to use too many capital letters in their emails to each other in case it causes offence.

Planned email protocols to be included in the elected members' code of conduct list a dozen "should nots", and just three "shoulds".

One of the no-nos is over-using capitals or bold letters for emphasis, which is, according to the protocols, "tantamount to shouting".

The email etiquette guide was requested by mayor Kerry Prendergast after a torrent of "vexatious and abusive" email traffic among elected members.

"I don't think there are many councillors who are not irritated by some of their colleagues' use of the email system," deputy mayor Alick Shaw said, noting that about 80 per cent of email messages were sent by just two or three elected members.

The emails had become increasingly distasteful and abusive. Introducing expectations of behaviour was one way to curb that, he said.

"It's a statement of hope, I guess, or an encouragement.

"How strongly you feel about it will obviously depend on how intimately you are involved either as a target of these emails or conversely if you are an originator."

The rules, which also apply to the mayor, advise councillors to resolve disagreements in person and warn that email can be used as evidence in court, so "careful judgment should be exercised in what is written".

Councillors breaching the code of conduct can be censured, usually in the form of a public ticking-off, Mr Shaw said.

"The sanctions are relatively innocuous."

Several councillors questioned the need for the protocols.

Jack Ruben, who regularly copies emails to a long list of contacts, said it smacked of school.

"For my part, I will completely ignore them," he said. "I left fourth form long ago. What is the 'teacher' going to do if I use block capitals? Give me detention? Make me write lines? Report me to my electorate?"

The policy -- which has been circulated among councillors -- is yet to be voted on.

- NZPA