Councillors push to keep online library of Youtube meetings open

Angus councillors are fighting to keep online recordings of meetings available for the public.

Within weeks of the initial lockdown, Angus set-up a special arrangements committee and let the public log in.

The move suffered an early setback when socalled Zoom-bombers hijacked a committee by posting obscene material during a live session.

Since then committee meetings have moved on to the Angus Council Youtube channel.

At a full council meeting yesterday, councillors were asked to agree a sixmonth extension of the remote arrangement.

But the plan hit a glitch when members were also asked to approve that recordings of meetings would only remain available until the final minute of the meeting is published, before being removed and deleted.

Officials said the move was designed to comply with data protection requirements that information should not be kept for any longer than is necessary.

Carnoustie SNP councillor Mark Mcdonald said the system was working well.

“This is great for a number of reasons,” he said.

“One of the main ones, however, is that it affords greater scrutiny. Scrutiny by the public who cannot watch meetings live.

“It allows the public to catch up on decisions that impact them directly and gives them the opportunity for them to question us as their councillors.

“Not everyone is free on a Thursday from 2pm and we have actually stumbled into something great here.

“Also, the Youtube viewing figures are surprisingly good.

“The explanation that this (change) is for data protection principles raises more questions than it provides an explanation for.

“We should not hide from scrutiny and should do all that we can to make our meetings whether in person or online, accessible to the public.”

Mr Mcdonald pointed out that other authorities, including Aberdeenshire Council and the Scottish and UK Parliaments, have an archive of recorded meetings.

Depute provost Craig Fotheringham won support for the matter to be deferred for further consideration,” he said.

“This

is great for a number of reasons