PROTOCOL ON THE RECORDING AND FILMING OF COUNCIL AND COMMITTEE MEETINGS
The right to record, film and broadcast meetings of the council, committees and sub committees is established following the Local Government Audit and Accountability Act 2014. This is in addition to the rights of the press and public to attend such meetings.
The Town Council records virtual meetings for the purposes of taking the minutes only. All recordings will be deleted once the minutes have been approved.
Meetings or parts of meetings from which the press and public are excluded may not be filmed or recorded.
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 to be allowed as long as it is carried out in a non-disruptive way and only to the extent that it does not interfere with any person’s ability, even where he or she has a disability, to follow the debate.
Whilst those attending the meeting are deemed to have consented to the filming, recording or broadcasting of meetings, those exercising the rights to film, record and broadcast must respect the rights of other people attending under the General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018.
The Chairman of the meeting has the authority to stop a meeting and take appropriate action if any person contravenes these principles or is deemed to be recording in a disruptive manner.
Any person or organisation choosing to film record or broadcast any meeting of the Council or a committee is responsible for any claims or other liability from them so doing.
Recordings must not be edited in a way that could lead to misinterpretation of the proceedings or infringe the core values of the Council. This includes refraining from editing an image or views expressed in a way that may ridicule, or show lack of respect towards those being filmed or recorded.
The Council will display requirements as regards filming, recording and broadcasting at its meeting venues and those undertaking these activities will be deemed to have accepted them whether they have read them or not.
The Council may itself photograph, film, record or broadcast meetings and can retain, use or dispose of such material in accordance with its retention and disposal policies.
