Millom Town Council
Minutes
Recording Town Council Meetings
The right to record, film and to broadcast meetings of Millom Town Council is established under the Openness of Local Government Bodies Regulations 2014. This is in addition to the rights of the press and public to attend such meetings.
Millom Town Council are committed to being open and transparent in the way it conducts its decision making. For the purpose of this policy the term “record” means any form of audio, visual and electronic recording. Such recording is permitted under the lawful direction of the Council.
Millom Town Council understands that some members of the public attending its meetings may not wish to be recorded and the Chairman of the meeting will facilitate this by ensuring that any such request is respected by those making any recording. Any member of the public who does not wish to be recorded should make this known to the Town Clerk prior to the commencement of the meeting.
Millom Town Council will apply the following rules at all of its meetings:
- This policy will be made available on the council’s website. Those undertaking these activities will be deemed to have accepted them.
- A copy of these rules will be provided to any members of the public/press in attendance at the meeting of the Town Council, regardless of whether they wish to film or record at the meeting. The Chair will also verbally remind the meeting and all present of the freedom to record but that these rules must be observed when this is planned or taking place.
- Any person wishing to record a meeting in any format whatsoever is requested to contact the Council prior to the start of the meeting. This can be done by contacting the Council’s offices on 01229 772340 or by emailing theclerk@millomtowncouncil.co.uk. Additionally, any person attending a meeting with the intention to make a recording should identify themselves to the Clerk before the meeting commences.
- The Council will define an area from which recording may be carried out and, providing sufficient advance notice has been given, will strive to ensure that reasonable facilities are made available to any person wishing to record. However, the physical layout of a room may restrict the Council’s ability to make any such provision.
- All visual recording must be undertaken from a static point to avoid disruption of the meeting.
- Particular care should be taken during the “Public Participation” part of the meeting to ensure that no recording is made which includes any member of the public who has made it known that he/she does not wish to be recorded. Where necessary, those making a recording should take legal advice as to their rights to make any recording during that period.
- Where the press and public are excluded from a meeting or part of a meeting owing to the confidential nature of the business to be transacted (Part II Item), recording of that meeting or that part of the meeting will not be permitted.
- No children or young people under the age of 18 who are present at the meeting may be filmed. This provision also applies to vulnerable adults.
- All those recording at a meeting must focus only on recording Councillors, Officers, and those members of the public who have not requested anonymity or have not been identified as under the age of 18 or a vulnerable adult.
- The Council may, at its own discretion, require members of the public who do not consent to being recorded to sit separately from those who are content to be recorded.
- All recordings must be overt (i.e. clearly visible to anyone at the meeting).
- Members of the public are permitted to film or record meetings to which they are permitted access in a non-disruptive manner. The use of digital and social media recording tools, for example Twitter, blogging or audio recording are allowed as long as this type of recording is carried out in a non-disruptive way and only to the extent that it does not interfere with any person’s ability to follow the proceedings of the meeting.
- No person making the recording has the right to interrupt a meeting by asking questions or making comments. The person recording has no right to ask Councillors, Officers or any other person contributing to the meeting to repeat a statement for the purpose of recording.
- The Chairman of the meeting has absolute discretion to stop or suspend recording, if, in his/her opinion, continuing to do so would prejudice proceedings at the meeting or if the person recording is in breach of these rules.
- No items of recording or associated equipment must be left unattended at any time.
- The recording and reporting of meetings of the Council is subject to law and it is the responsibility of those undertaking the recording and/or reporting to ensure compliance. This will include, but is not limited to the Human Rights Act, the Data Protection Act and the laws of libel and defamation.
- No recording may be edited in any way that could lead to misinterpretation of what has been said, to misrepresentation of the proceedings of the Council, the infringement of the Council’s values — or in any way which ridicules or shows a lack of respect for those featured in the recording. The Council will require that any recording in breach of these rules be removed from the public domain. The Council will accept no liability for material published by any other person unless it is itself undertaking the publication through its offices.
- The Clerk of the Council should be contacted in advance of any meeting if the recording device proposed to be used involves equipment which is larger in size than a smartphone, tablet or compact camera or if the person recording has any other special requirements. The use of lighting for filming/flash photography will usually be allowed if it is arranged via the Clerk prior to the meeting but the Council will have regard to the impact of such lighting on the ability of others present to view the meeting, or for reasons of health, and may require that such lighting is not used or is reduced to a level which does not adversely affect other people. The lighting must not cause any other form of disruption.
- Millom Town Council itself may photograph, film, record or broadcast meetings and can retain, use or dispose of such material in accordance with its own policies.
- Where the Council proposes to record its own meetings, it will resolve how long such recordings will be kept and how members of the public may obtain copies. The Council will include such recordings within its Publication Scheme and information will be available via its website.
- The Council is not liable for the actions of any person making a recording at a council meeting which identifies a member of the public or for any publication of that recording.
- The minutes of a council meeting remain the statutory and legally binding formal record of council decisions.
Adopted: 29th November 2023
Review Date: November 2027
Dated: 29th November 2023
