Record and use social media at a council meeting

If you attend a council meeting, you can:

• use social media to report and Tweet 
• film, photograph and make an audio recording of the proceedings
• use any other method to allow those not present to see or hear proceedings as they happen or at a later date
• report or provide commentary on proceedings so that the report or commentary is available as the meeting takes place or at a later date

Recording and filming a meeting

You don’t need permission to record or film a meeting.

However,  because we need to provide reasonable facilities for filming, please let us know in advance if you wish to record the meeting.

You’re entitled to publish, post or share your recording online. However, please do not edit the recording in a way that could lead to misinterpretation of the proceedings or shows a lack of respect to those being filmed.

Behaviour that is not allowed

You cannot commentate on proceedings during a meeting.

The chair of the meeting can stop or suspend filming, recording and use of social media during a meeting if, in their opinion, the activity is:

• disrupting the meeting and impeding good decision making
• infringing the rights of any members of the public
• in danger of repeating a defamatory statement that has been made

If someone does not want to be filmed

The notice on the agenda and displayed in meeting rooms explains that anyone may be filmed, especially if they participate in any way during the meeting. Although we ask those filming and recording to not cover the public seating area, we cannot guarantee that members of the public will not be filmed.

We ask those filming and recording meetings to avoid vulnerable people and/or children, but we cannot guarantee this will happen. Those responsible for children and vulnerable people must decide whether it is appropriate for them to attend meetings in these circumstances.

Private sessions

Where a meeting goes into private session, for example where confidential or exempt information is to be discussed, the public are excluded. Any filming or recording equipment remaining in the room must be turned off before the person responsible for it leaves the room.