Should the names of the public appear in council minutes?

Question

Our Clerk is in the habit of collecting the names of members of the public who attend our parish council meetings and recording them in the minutes. My feeling is that, as a member of the public, I ought to be able to attend a public meeting without the expectation that I should identify myself. Does Data Protection come into play here?

Answer 1

It is normal to ask for the name and address of a citizen who wishes to speak to a local council meeting. But merely attending the meeting should not require any identification. It is unwise to publish names of members of the public unless they have given their permission. It is certainly not necessary for minutes to include the names of members of the public present but not speaking, and probably undesirable. Minutes are intended to record the decisions made by a council, and not the discussions that take place. Matters that are not decisions or significant information are generally best recorded only if they are needed as reminders for future consideration.