Can employees of council make an audio recording of a council meeting.

Question

I understand that members of the public, including councillors, can record council meetings.

But can employees, eg town clerks, of the council, record a council meeting without first informing resident? I wondered if there were additional requirements for employees in respect of GDPR.

Thank you

Answer 1

Yes. Something I would actively encourage officers to do as well to ensure minutes can be prepared accurately & quickly without fanfare that unfortunately become all to common. I do remind public, members & officers as part of my meeting pre-start protocol/welcome and do ensure signs are displayed reminding people its public meeting that people can film/record.

Answer 2

Agree with the comments that Progress has made but would ask if you mean for personal use or otherwise?  Members of the public (and councillors) need to be made aware that proceedings can or are to be recorded but I'd also suggest that if made by an employee, then the recording becomes part of the records of the council so subject to FOI.  If the intention is to either keep or delete recordings after minutes have been produced, I'd suggest that should be a decision of the council through an agreed policy so that any actions have the agreed policy as their basis.  Deleting a recording after an FOI has requested it would be an offence but doing so before such a request and in accordance with an agreed policy, would be accepted by the ICO.