The right to record, film and to 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.

Meetings or parts of meetings from which the press and public are excluded may not be filmed or recorded.

Members of the pubic are permitted to film or record open elements of meetings (press and public can be excluded from some elements of Council meetings in respect of prejudicial public interest – an example of this although not exhaustive list includes, terms of tenders and negotiations for contracts, legal proceeding preparation and discussion, employment matters)

The use of digital and social media recording tools, for example Twitter, blogging or audio recording 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.

While the Councillors and Clerk 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 Data Protection Act 1998.

Any person who intends to film or record a meeting is respectfully requested to contact the clerk to the council beforehand to inform him/her that this will take place.  This is not mandatory but a matter of courtesy so that the Clerk can warn other members of the public in attendance that they may wish to ask that their comments may be excluded from the recirding

The Chairman of the meeting has the authority to stop a meeting and take appropriate action if any person contravenes these principals 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.

The Council asks those recording proceedings not to edit the film or recording 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 to filming, recording and broadcasting at its meeting venues and on its website (if it has one) 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.