Audio Recordings at Meetings
LEADENHAM PARISH COUNCIL
Audio Recording Policy
Definitions
Chairman – The Chairman of Leadenham Parish Council
Clerk and/or Proper Officer – The Clerk to Leadenham Parish Council
LPC - Leadenham Parish Council
Council – Leadenham Parish Council
Member(s) – All Councillors of Leadenham Parish Council
Meeting – a meeting of the Council, any of its committees, sub-committees, joint-committees or joint sub-committees.
This policy should also be read in conjunction with Fenton and Leadenham Council’s Standing Orders & Financial Regulations.
Purpose and Scope
LPC may audio record parish council meetings to improve minute taking of meetings 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.
LPC 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 LPC’s digital media recorder/appropriate recording method. No copies or transcripts of this recording will be provided.
All recordings of meetings may be deleted once Minutes of the meeting have been formally accepted unless the data is subject to one of the disclosure reasons noted below. The maximum time any audio recording may be kept is 6 months.
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.
Adopted on Date……13 April 2021
Please refer to the Policy Review Schedule for Adoption, Re-adoption and Review dates.