Audio Recording of Meetings Policy
This policy was reviewed and approved by Welbourn Parish Council at its meeting on 8 February 2023. Next formal review February 2026.
PURPOSE AND SCOPE
The Council has agreed to introduce the recording of parish council meetings to improve minute taking of meetings (as per the procedures below) to provide greater clarity on how decisions are reached.
The minutes of meetings are the only legal record of that meeting and will be the only method used in determining a challenge on the validity of any decision made.
The Council is required to ensure that minutes are an accurate record of the proceedings and the audio recording of meetings could assist this aim.
PROCEDURES
It will be at the discretion of the Council and/or Committee as to which meetings are recorded.
Prior to commencement of the meeting the Chairman of the meeting will announce that the meeting will be recorded.
Any member or the Clerk may request termination or suspension of the recording of a meeting if continuing the recording would prejudice the proceedings of the meeting. This includes: -
- Public disturbance or other suspension of the meeting
- Exclusion of the public or press
- Any other reason agreed by the Council or Committee
Exempt and confidential Agenda Items will not be recorded.
Meetings will be recorded onto the Council’s digital media recorder. No copies or transcripts of this recording will be provided.
All recordings of meetings will be deleted as per Standing Order 12e -
‘Upon a resolution which confirms the accuracy of the minutes of a meeting, the draft minutes or recordings of the meeting for which approved minutes exist shall be destroyed’
- unless the data is subject to one of the disclosure reasons noted below.
Disclosure Reasons
Data may only be disclosed for the purpose of legal proceedings including prospective legal proceedings, for the purpose of obtaining legal advice, by order of the court, for the detection and prevention of crime or if the disclosure is otherwise necessary for the purposes of establishing, exercising or defending legal rights.
This policy was approved and adopted by Welbourn Parish Council at their meeting on 08th November 2017.