Meetings filmed... and on YouTube

Perth and Kinross Council’s move to begin posting videos of committee meetings on YouTube has been heralded by councillors.

Following pressure from elected members, the local authority began recording meetings from the housing and communities committee on Wednesday, January 24, complete with subtitles.

Since then, lifelong learning committee and executive subcommittee meetings, as well as Wednesday’s environment and infrastructure committee, have been filmed and posted publicly on the video streaming website.

Under the Openness of Local Government Regulations Act 2014, the press and public may use modern technology and communication methods such as filming, audiorecording, and tweeting to report the proceedings of the meetings of their councils.

Perth and Kinross Council have utilised this and are now filming meetings themselves, and adding links to the footage onto their own website.

A spokesperson for Perth and Kinross Council said:“Council committee meetings are held to make decisions on issues which impact on the people and communities of Perth and Kinross, and it is important that we do everything we can to help people understand how that process works.

“Last year we were able to take some meetings out into the community, visiting Kinross and Auchterarder. Now that committee meetings are recorded and made available online it allows even more people to see meetings, and the debate which surrounds the decisions which are made.”

SNP leader Councillor Dave Doogan said:“It has taken too long and a lot of pressure from SNP councillors to get the footage of council committees uploaded to the internet but I’m very pleased that this is now standard practice in Perth and Kinross.

“With council meetings during the day, it is impossible for most people to attend in person and observe local democracy in action, so it’s a valuable resource to be able to examine the performance and decisions of councillors at home and at a time which is convenient.”

Meetings can be watched on the council’s YouTube channel, titled ‘PerthandKinross Council’or on the corresponding meeting page on the council website.