It should come as NO SURPRISE that any "#Live" online media outlet presents an ill informed, incomplete and amateurish reportage. The nationwide #Live online news outlet is parented by the media group Reach PLC which includes such leftist gutter press red tops as the Daily Mirror, Daily Star, Daily Record, Daily Express, OK magazine and other such low ball publications. It's garbage, served up online rather than in tomorrows chip paper.
The article throws up more questions than answers and demonstrates a fundamental lack of understanding of the process born out of amateurish, lazy and incomplete journalism.
Don't worry about what the media says about what's happening, just focus on what you CAN change for the better.
You should make a formal written request to the clerk for the NALC and county ALC login and password details. You are entitled - and should be ENCOURAGED - as a Cllr to access, read, absorb and apply all of the information which is made available by those organisations and which your council pays a subscription for.
Your clerk has no authority to refuse it and if they do so you should commence a disciplinary complaint against them.
It is just wrong on all levels that a clerk should seek to prevent a Cllr accessing information which is specifically produced for the furtherance of efficiency, effectiveness and compliance in council business. It is also commonly a firm indicator of an empire building, 'knowledge is power", professionally insecure - or potentially corrupt or incompetent - employee that needs to suppress the active investigation of inquisitive Cllrs.
Such behaviour is a very high and strong RED FLAG which could be a determined attempt to prevent exposure of inadequacies and should be addressed without compromise.