If a member of the public present objects to audio only recording mean you cannot record at all or just when they speak

Question

When audio only recording of a Parish Council meeting if a member of the public or Council member objects and requests no audio recording be made does that mean the whole meeting must not be recorded or only when the objector speaks?

Answer 1

Neither as they have no say in it, if they don’t like being recorded at a properly constituted Council meeting then they should make their representations another way

Comments

Thankyou. So when the Clerk informed me that the public member had a legal  right to ask me to switch off recording when that person spoke she was incorrect? Can anyone direct me to the relevant legislation/Council guidance so I can inform the Parish Council for future recordings please

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The law, which came into effect on 6th August 2014, allows the recording (filming, tweeting etc) to be done.  Note: the Law overrides what is in Standing Orders.  (This is in a previous thread on here.)
https://towncouncillor.com/3568/recording-during-council-meeting-allowed-written-permission

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You will find the legislation is quite specific as my feeling is the people who drafted it knew quite well if there was any leeway Councils especially at Parish level would abuse it
Until recently there was a video on YouTube of the Chair of my Council threatening someone filming the meeting

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Does it still exist to be viewed online please?

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http://askyourcouncil.uk/openness-and-accountability/your-rights-to-attend-meetings/

I looked at several Councils and a majority gave misleading advice such as contacting the Clerk in advance
The point is that the Agenda should clearly warn people that they may be recorded

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Should the agenda clearly warn people about something which has been codified into legal statute 8 years ago?

It would be better if clerks, chairs, PCs (and to a lesser degree perhaps, the public) made themselves properly aware of the environment in which they operate.
There is a perfectly lawful right to audio / video record an open public meeting why and for how long will it be necessary to make such a statement?

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Locally both at District and Parish level there are warnings about recording on the Agenda but it isn’t a legal requirement
As I mentioned in an earlier reply I was amazed how many Councils including some large ones have published “ policies “ which seek to water the legislation down

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The Chairman of one of my councils reads a short statement at the start of every meeting welcoming the members of the public and explaining when and how they may contribute to the proceedings. This includes a reference to recording etc.

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Personally I think that officially recording meetings  improves Councillor behaviour

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...or leads to reluctance to speak!

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…or, causes an outbreak of ‘think before you speak’ and ‘the record will show what was actually said’ rather than a later recollection.

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Thankyou. My understanding is any objector to being recorded or filmed at a public Parish Meeting has no right to stop the recording or video and needs to make their representations by another method (eg by speaking or writing to the Clerk or a Councillor). Legislation 2014 applies? However the person videoing or recording can by way of courtesy (only) position themselves in the room in order that the objector is not captured on film. This would include vunerable adults and children present. I am aware that depending on how that recording is used it can be subject to the Data Protection Act but if recording to ensure an accurate record is made of the meeting for others unable to attend and so that if sharing of information accusations of inaccuracies cannot be made (as the recording can be checked) .

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I agree. It was very apparent when recording that the Clerk was not 'in charge' and orchestrating the meeting and the Chair became the 'controller' deferring to the Clerk only for guidance or prompting to follow the Agenda.

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I agree. The recorded meeting was in total contrast to previous meetings and there was not the dialogue and discissions between Councillors and Clerk that I found inappropriate at previous meetings