Since the new rules from the Communities and Local Government secretary Eric Pickles came into force, people are starting to challenge their local councils and attempt to film public meetings.
We’re going to map them here – can you help us?
If you come across a council which is refusing to allow filming – or maybe it is putting unusual conditions or restrictions onto the activity – you can share it with us here.
You can tweet us @talkaboutlocal, add information into the comments below or add it directly onto the map as follows:
– go to the noticeboard http://filming.n0tice.com/
– sign up or log in to n0tice.com
– click on the blue ‘post’ button
– click on ‘report’
– enter the location, in the headline box put the name of the council and the URL to your video or tweet.
– click to post.
Your entry will automatically update on the map. It has been created using the Maptastica.com app which is part of the free open journalism toolkit which Talk About Local has been helping to develop. It can be embedded on your own blog or website too.
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I think it’s a bit misleading for you to refer to “new rules” – the booklet that Pickles published a couple of weeks ago has no formal status.
The last change to the rules was in September 2012, and those changes don’t actually oblige councils to allow recording.
I absolutely think that we should all be encouraging councils to adopt a flexible attitude to filming and audio recording, but it won’t do the cause any good if people are misinformed about what the national regulations actually say.
Hi James, good points. There’s no intention to mislead – the new guidelines/pamphlet or whatever were presented as ‘rules’ but as you say, that’s already showing itself to have limits which we’re updating on the blog here. We are continuing to press for more enforceable solutions and will update the blog with progress on that as/when too. I saw via twitter that Pickles was addressing a local government conference today where he was championing this again but, as the people who turn up to these events, we probably do need something more legislative to protect us. Onwards 🙂
I think the legislation does allow for filming.. (6) While the meeting is open to the public, any person attending the meeting for the purpose of reporting the proceedings is, so far as practicable, to be afforded reasonable facilities for taking their report.
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2012/2089/regulation/4/made
While it does not emphatically say video recording etc, nor does it exclude this type of recording. As the rules were updated in 2012, this would automatically include video and audio recording as part of “reasonable facilities for taking their report”. The fact that councils are being stubborn about it is due to the unacceptable behaviour that will be captured on camera by some councillors as this clip shows of Keighley Town Council. The deputy mayor requested the presence of a parishioner in a corridor! Then Councillor Wright interrupts with what can only be interpreted as the intent to escalate the discussion into a confrontation… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2XsyaMYErA
Together with 9 other pensioners aged between 60 and 79, we were removed by police from Keighley Town Councils meeting. Police have since apologised and I am awaiting written apology from Police Commissioner. 2 Days ago I was prevented from filming Keighley Town Council’s finance meeting. They cancelled the meeting but didn’t call the police this time. Think they have learned their lesson. I attended Bradford Councils meeting last Tuesday, that was filmed and because standing orders are yet to be changed, they did a show of hands and allowed filming. Common Sense prevails at Bradford.
Hi Elizabeth, thanks for updating us with some good news. Nice change and a welcome addition to the map – will add later. Thanks 🙂