Does a Councillor have the right to film or record council meetings?

Question

Our clerk regularly allows Committee Chairs to amend/edit the minutes of their committee meetings such that important facts are often edited out. In a recent case, the basis for a proposal was edited out completely.

I am a Councillor (co-opted, voluntary, Parish) who is concerned that our minutes are often not a true record. I have attempted to amend the minutes and get refused.
One solution to this could be for me to record the meeting for my personal use, so that I can check the minutes are correct (and not have to rely on my memory). Is this allowed?

Answer 1

Absolutely! You and any member of the public have the right to record a PC meeting providing doing so does not disrupt the proceedings. In fact in this day and age I am amazed that not all meetings are recorded as a matter of course to aid accurate minutes and decision making. Technological advances have enabled very good quality recording over a larger area for very little cost. Add to this a transcribing system full disclosure of meetings should be standard practice with little extra work for the clerk( usually traipsed out as to "why we cannot do it"). Don't parliament do it with Hansard?

Answer 2

A couple of points to add.
Yes absolutely you can record a meeting if you so wish and can do so in a way that is not disruptive.  But, from a legal perspective, the only record of a meeting that will be accepted in law as an accurate record of proceedings is that written record, the Minutes, that are signed by the Chair to confirm their accuracy.  That is not a "clerk thing" that people seem to imply, but is based upon statute and case law.  If follows therefore that the written record needs to be accurate but it does not need to be verbatim.  Why a decision is taken can add useful context but the actual resolution is the most important part.

In the process of agreeing the written record, this is a process requiring a resolution of all councillors so there should be a vote on accepting the accuracy of the minutes.  If you are presented with a draft which you do not feel accurately reflects the meeting to which it refers, you can/should challenge this.  Amendments should be put to the meeting and agreed by the meeting as a whole.  It doesn't really matter whether that draft you are amending is solely the work of the clerk (although clearly that is their job) or whether the draft presented to you is a collaborative effort.  It is a draft until agreed by members.

Answer 3

You absolutely can, and absolutely should record all the meetings for yourself and for livestream if you so wish.

Not only can you do this, but the council is legally obliged to facilitate you doing it (not provide you with equipment, but rather to make allowance within the meeting for the taking and making of reports.)

Answer 4

Thank you all for your answers, which as always are really helpful

Answer 5

I was reported to the Police and the ICO for recording meetings as a Councillor and the ICO ruled against me!
I issued a SAR and it then turned out that the Clerk lied and misled them as well as not showing Councillors information from NALC that said I could record meetings but of course she kept her job

You are also entitled to record confidential sessions for your own reference

Comments

Forgive me, but where does it say you can record a confidential session?

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Where does it say you can’t?

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NALC have confirmed you can record confidential sessions

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I confess that I"m slightly surprised but, hey ho, we don't get it right all time.  Thank you for your timely and courteous reply.

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Jules, Can you point me to where they say that please? Thanks.

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I was at a meeting of my Parish Council’s Management and Policy Committee where they confirmed that NALC had told them you can record confidential sessions for your own reference just like you can take notes
Turn it on its head as has already been suggested and ask what legislation prevents you from doing this