Council set to show meetings live on website (From Surrey Comet)

Merton Council set to show meetings live on website

10:00am Thursday 9th February 2012 in Wimbledon By Omar Oakes

Councillors have pledged to give residents greater transparency and input into how they make decisions on their behalf.

All four political parties at Merton Council backed proposals for video of key council meetings to be shown and stored on its website and also backed more opportunities for residents to take part in meetings.

A motion to introduce web-casting and podcasts, put forward by Coun Debbie Shears, leader of Merton’s Conservative group, was adopted at last week’s full council meeting on Wednesday, February 1.

Coun Shears said: “This will be especially useful in committees which debate and vote on planning applications and parking schemes.

“Meeting rooms regularly fill up with residents for these issues where specific proposals have caused either excitement or concern among the neighbours.”

But Coun John Dehaney (Labour) criticised the idea, citing the example of Croydon who introduced live video of their council meetings, only to scrap it years later after spending £200,000 for a project used by few residents.

At the same meeting, Merton’s two Liberal Democrat councillors teamed up with the three Merton Park ward independent councillors to put forward plans for residents to take part in all meetings of the council, compared to twice a year currently.

Lib Dem leader, Coun Iain Dysart, said: “The Council talks about being accountable to the public and encouraging an open and transparent democracy.

“But talk is cheap, and it is time the Council took some action to encourage public participation. Allowing the public to put their questions to the Council at every meeting in the future would be a good start.”

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Would you watch videos of council meetings? How do you think Merton Council should engage more with residents?

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