Labour Group Supports Live Broadcast of Council Meetings

The Labour Councillors of Carmarthenshire County Council backed live streaming of full Council meetings today, over allowing the public to film from the gallery.

The Labour Councillors proposed an amendment to the motion allowing the public to film, pushing for a BBC Parliament style pilot scheme, which would ensure a fair and unedited version of Council meetings.

Cllr Kevin Madge, leader of the Labour Group said in the council meeting that

‘A live, unedited, and professional broadcast of our meetings on the internet is the most sensible way to go. We could evaluate it after a year and see if everybody is satisfied that transparency has been fulfilled.”

Concerns were raised by Labour that it wasn’t in the public interest to allow individual members of the public to film, and that the only fair way of broadcasting meetings was by a live and unedited webcast. Derek Cundy, Councillor for Bynea said:

“They key thing is that a live broadcast is fair for all. The whole meeting must be filmed, and not one part which a member of the public may chose to film.”

Plaid Cymru were also criticised that their leader had previously voted in favour of a ban on the public filming in the Council’s Business Management Committee, and was now contradicting himself with a motion in favour of public filming.

Cllr Calum Higgins raised this after the Plaid Cymru Leader said it was in 2011 under a different Plaid group:

“Plaid should be clear with the public on this; their leader voted against it previously, and now he’s made a U-Turn. Democratic chambers have BBC Parliament and Senedd TV style broadcasts, they don’t allow unrestricted public filming. We should aim for the same model of transparency in local government.”

The Labour amendment was passed and the Executive Board would soon receive a report with detailed proposals and costs, which the Labour Group hopes that all parties can unite behind.