Could/Should the Chair ask if a member of the public is recording?

Question

I have often recorded our parish council meetings, audio only.  I always have the recording device in full view and I am happy for anyone to know I am doing this.  However, the chair asks at every meeting if anyone is recording and I believe this is done for the purpose of drawing attention to me and making me feel embarrassed about doing so.   This has happened in Zoom meetings and face-to-face meetings before Covid.  I know that I have obligations with regard to the Data Protection Act and my understanding is that as it is a public meeting, I can record it if I want.  Should the chair be asking if anyone is recording?

Answer 1

Before the meeting starts, inform the clerk that you will be recording the meeting. This will obviate the the need to identify yourself when the chairman asks.

Comments

When the legislation was drawn up whoever drafted it realised that if Councils were given an inch they’d take a mile
There is no requirement to notify anyone you are recording the meeting so ignore the Chair and keep recording
I assume the Agenda mentions about the possibility of the meeting being recorded and that the Chairman mentions this at the start of each meeting as well
Personally I believe in this day and age larger Parish Councils should record all meetings and make them freely available

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I agree with you Jules. It is despicable that a member of the public is made to feel embarrassed by the chair simply because he/she wishes to exercise his/her lawful right of obtaining an audio recording of a public meeting.

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There is no requirement in legislation for identification of whether anyone is recording a meeting providing that in doing so the meeting is not disrupted. When quoting legislation we tend to start talking in definitions and adherence and loose sight of basic good manners. Politeness, professionalism, etiquette and mutual respect then get sacrificed on the "letter of the law" altar. Keeping these traits generally exposes any self centred attempted attacks on the rights of individuals. It's all there in the code of conduct and standing orders. (or should be)

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Exactly Mentorman.  Overall, I believe it is a means of attempting to avoid contemporaneous transparency of meetings.

Answer 2

A Chair should ask if the meeting is being recorded in case their are minors present or vulnerable individuals present, unless it it on the agenda put out.

As you are aware recording of zoom meetings are so easy but we still have to follow the law on safeguarding.