Resident criticises "misleading" email addresses at Sheffield Council

A member of the public has complained that Sheffield Council is misleading people after two officers were given councillors email addresses.
Deputy Council Leader Julie Grocutt says IT issues caused the email addressesDeputy Council Leader Julie Grocutt says IT issues caused the email addresses
Deputy Council Leader Julie Grocutt says IT issues caused the email addresses

Members specifically have the word "councillor" in their email address so they can be differentiated from officers in their correspondence.

But Herdings Park resident Andrew Kennedy says he was confused when he received emails from officers, both of whom had "councillor" in their email.

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Mr Kennedy, 61, said: "It appeared as though two officers were passing themselves off as councillors in correspondence.

Sheffield Town HallSheffield Town Hall
Sheffield Town Hall

When they replied to me, I thought that they were councillors and other people will too.

"Is the council trying to bamboozle and hoodwink the public?"

Sheffield Council said certain officers did have a councillor email because of IT issues.

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Deputy Council Leader Coun Julie Grocutt said: “The IT system currently used by the council means that in order for Member support staff to access diaries of councillors they used to need a @councillor.sheffield.gov.uk email address.

"We are currently moving to new software and until this is completed, a small number will still have this.

"However, all email signatures contain the role of the support staff member and the name of the Member they support.”

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