Recording of Meetings Policy
The right to record, film and to broadcast meetings of the Council and its Committees is established under the Openness of Local Government Regulations 2014. This is in addition to the rights of press and public to attend such meetings.
Lutton Parish Council is 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 or electronic recording. Such recording is permitted under the lawful direction of the Council meeting.
Any member of the public who does not wish to be visually recorded during a meeting should make this known to the Clerk or Chairman prior to commencement of the meeting. The Chairman will ask for any such requests to be respected by those making the recording.
Council will display copies of this Policy at its meeting venues and on the Parish website and those undertaking recording will be deemed to have accepted the terms contained therein whether they have read them or not.
Rules & guidance applying to recording of meetings;
Visual recording should be from a static point to avoid disruption and distraction.
If advance notice of visual recording is provided, Council will strive to ensure that reasonable facilities are made available to facilitate the recording, e.g. provision of a table.
A person recording has no right to interrupt a Council meeting by asking questions, making comments or undertaking verbal reporting/commentary.
There is an expectation that reporting will focus on the proceedings of a meeting and those who participate in it rather than those who are simply attending.
Filming, recording or photographing of children who are present at a meeting is prohibited unless their parents/legal guardians have provided written consent. This also applies to vulnerable adults, whereby the consent of a responsible adult is required, e.g. legal guardian, carer, medical professional.
Where the public and press are excluded from any part of a meeting; due to the confidential nature of business being transacted; recording is not permitted.
Period dedicated to Public Forum is not part of the formal meeting; legal advice should be sought concerning the right to record during this time.
Recordings should not be edited in a way that could lead to misinterpretation or misrepresentation of proceedings.
A person’s recordings are likely to include personal data of individuals. That person must take care to ensure that personal data is used in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998.
A person recording will need to ensure that any verbal or written reporting of a meeting does not give rise to a libel/defamation claim.
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.
The minutes of Council meetings remain the statutory and legally binding formal record of Council’s decisions.