New Legislation on Recording Council Meetings

Earlier this month a new law came into force permitting both members of the public, and the press to enjoy new rights to film and report on council meetings, be that parish, town, or at District or County level. This permission to report includes filming, along with the real-time use of social media channels, blogging and tweeting.

The introduction of this piece of legislation by Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles has caused much discussion, not least in terms of how our local councils should go about this.

The Bill is intended to protect local press from taxpayer funded propaganda sheets and to close existing loopholes, thereby ensuring that Council Tax bills, in their entirety, are fully accessible to local taxpayers. I believe that this is as it should be.

The Bill would not have been necessary had councils complied with Mr Pickles previous request to open up their committee meetings. Locally, there is still the odd example of members of the public being excluded without good reason.

The level of openness exhibited by local councils is often the subject of much debate, particularly where tax payers feel that they are not getting the full story. This was evident in the comments made at the recent hustings held prior to Ilminster Town Council’s recent by-election.

As with most things of this sort, if current levels of interest in the goings on at  meetings is concerned, there is likely to be precious little to command the attention of the electorate; until something goes awry. I am often critical of council procedure and decision making processes, at all levels, but one thing I am confident about is the fact that locally, to my knowledge, all formal council meetings are open to the public, and have been since my involvement some years ago.

At the aforementioned hustings, it was interesting to note that much of the hour long debate focused on communication. It became clear to all present that there is, amongst the general population, a feeling that there is a lack of openness in relation to actions taken. I dispute the factual evidence to back up this view, but the fact remains that there is an underlying ‘impression’ of a lack of it.

There is however a real worry amongst those of us who sit on committees of meetings held in public that this latest piece of legislation will be used for political posturing, where one or other side wants to take a pot shot at the other. We see this weekly when parliament is sitting during PM’s question time, where quite frankly the baying and point scoring is childish and immature.

A lot will inevitably depend on the ability of the Chairs of such meetings to control them, but without being seen to block freedom of expression.

It is highly likely that many councils will inevitably go down the costly route of installing their own Webcasting equipment, if only to protect their own integrity. No doubt taxpayers will be up in arms at the expense, which could well run into tens of thousands, at a time of austerity. Once again we see flawed legislation put into place without due consideration of the impact and consequences. All councils will now need to consider their policies in relation to public involvement and participation; not least to make the necessary adjustments for those who do not wish to be filmed or recorded. Under the new legislation there is a real concern that those with their own agendas will film and record just those bits of the proceedings that help them to put their own point of view across to a wider public forum. Indeed, there are already examples of where this has occurred.

What is more likely to happen is that key decision makers will take to holding private pre-meetings at which they will agree a ‘party line’ on a chosen topic, thus stifling real and open debate for fear of what they might let slip in public. There are already accusations of this occurring, as those involved in the decision making seek to protect and guard their own position.

I have, not without good reason, gained something of a reputation for being opinionated and having strong views on a range of issues, which I am fortunate to have the opportunity to air publicly. From time to time I am taken to task by members of the public, and whilst I cannot say that it is always an enjoyable experience, I accept that it goes with the territory, and often we will agree to differ. I see this as a healthy part of true democracy.

In the early days of the Social Democratic Party I well recall Shirley Williams looking as if she’d been dragged through a hedge backwards. So, on my own part, now that I realise that I may be filmed in action so to speak, I can see that I shall have to pay a little more attention to my hair and makeup.