TO tweet or not to tweet? That is the question.
Already a worldwide phenomenon, Bolton councillors are now latching on to the micro-blogging site as a way to engage with voters.
The two main tweeters — or “tweeps” — sit across the benches from each other on Bolton Council; in the red corner, Labour’s Chris Peacock and in the blue corner, the Tory’s Andy Morgan.
And while the pair broadly agree on the benefits of social media, they have different views when it comes to tweeting during council meetings.
Cllr Morgan, who started using Twitter last year when he stood in the General Election as the Conservatives’ candidate, provides his followers with real-time updates on meetings.
Far from distracting him, Cllr Morgan believes it helps him focus on what is being said and insists he would not tweet if it were detrimental to the machinations of local government.
But his Labour counterpart disagrees, pre- ferring a more considered review of council meetings, once the process is complete.
Cllr Morgan said: “I am fully concentrated in meetings and fully participating.”
Cllr Peacock said: “There has to be a balance. It is good people can see what goes on in these meetings, but I’m yet to be convinced it’s not distracting for councillors.”
Away from the gripping world of Bolton Council in-fighting, the councillors tweet about everything from Bolton Wanderers to Big Brother.
Neither boasts a tremendous following — @MrCPeacock has 138 while @boltontory lags only slightly behind with 131.
But the pair believe their numbers will steadily rise as more people in their respective wards realise their local councillor is on Twitter.
Other town hall tweeps include Cllr Lindsey Kell and Cllr Bob Allen and Cllr Phil Ashcroft.
But other councillors have now started to ask Cllrs Morgan and Peacock for advice on using the site.
Cllr Peacock said: “There’s a new generation of councillors coming through, using twitter"
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