Agenda item

Audio Recording of Council Meetings

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Blamire)

 

Report of Chief Officer (Legal & Governance)

Minutes:

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Blamire)

 

Cabinet received a report from the Chief Officer (Legal & Governance) to consider recommending to Council that an audio-minutes function be added to the current Committee Management software, to enable live audio streaming at Council meetings and audio files to be created and made publicly accessible on the Council’s website.

 

The options, options analysis, including risk assessment and officer preferred option, were set out in the report as follows:

 

 

Option 1: To add an audio-minutes function to the current committee management software system, to enable live audio streaming of meetings, and an audio archive of meetings to be created and made publicly available on the Council’s website.

 

 

Option 2: To keep to the current arrangements.

 

Option 3: To cease audio recording altogether

Advantages

Increased openness and transparency; would allow the public to listen to meetings they may not be able to attend because of other commitments.

Easy to use system, which would ‘tag’ each agenda item, making it easy to search.

Portability; system could be used at both town halls and for all meetings.

No further spend required, unlike option 1.

Allows Members and staff to access sound files of full council meetings (except for exempt items).

No further spend required, unlike option 1.

 

Disadvantages

Costs of purchasing the add-on equipment (see paragraph 3.3)

Would not allow members of the public to access the recordings.

Missed opportunity to increase openness and transparency by restricting the recordings to internal listeners.

It would be too time-consuming to split the audio into agenda items; current system does not automatically ‘tag’ them unlike option 1.

Not portable; can only be used in the Council Chamber at Morecambe Town Hall.

Loss of the facility to review spoken minutes would be a disadvantage when there is any dispute over words said, for example when a complaint has been raised or an allegation made.

Retrograde step in terms of openness and transparency.

 

Risks

Uncertain demand -there is a three-month free trial period for the system and this may help with vfm assessment.

Reputational risk; councils are under increasing pressure to make their meetings more open and accessible to all.

Risk that disputes/complaints could escalate if there is no recording to refer to and resolve an issue.

 

The Officer preferred option is option 1, for the reasons set out above.

 

Councillor Clifford proposed, seconded by Councillor Leyshon:-

 

“That the recommendation, as set out in the report, be approved.”

 

Councillors then voted:-

 

Resolved unanimously:

 

(1)          That Cabinet recommends to Council that an audio-minutes function be added to the current committee management software system, to enable

·         live audio streaming of meetings, and:

·         an audio archive of meetings to be created and made publicly available on the Council’s website

·         that it initially be on a trial basis, with any longer term arrangement being subject to the budget.

·         that subject to the budget being approved, the Democratic Services Manager be authorised to continue with the service after the trial period.

Officer responsible for effecting the decision:

 

Chief Officer (Legal & Governance)

 

Reasons for making the decision:

 

The decision is consistent with the aim of the Corporate Plan priority of Community Leadership of demonstrating good governance, openness and transparency.  Consideration of any longer-term arrangement as part of the budget will enable Members to consider the proposal in context of other competing pressures and value for money.

 

Supporting documents: