On April 23 April members
of Thanet Council banned filming of their proceedings for the second time in
five times.
The chair of the council’s
overview and scrutiny committee had invited people to film one of its
meetings.
But other members of the
committee challenged his ruling and voted to stop the
filming.
Chair Ian Driver said the
decision went against both the council’s own rules and government guidance.
“This decision stinks and
brings shame on the council,” he said.
Journalists wishing to
film the meeting included Christine Tongue of Thanet Watch magazine, who was
thrown out Thanet Council last week for filming an angry council meeting over
Ramsgate seafront.
“I feel the council are
just making themselves look stupid and secretive,” she said. “Many members of
the general public are saying, what has the council got to
hide?”
Christine did film some of
the committee meeting and this on the Thanet Watch website:
www.thanetwatch.wordpress.com.
Ed. film embedded below
For the full story of the
council’s ban of filming, “What Have The Council Got To Hide?” see the new issue
of Thanet Watch available in outlets across Thanet this weekend, price
80p.
Unbelievable that I am paying nearly £2,000 a year for a bunch of jokers to engage in this kind of shambles. Frankly I do not give a monkies what they talk about in their meetings as long as they empty my dustbins, look after our local infrastructure, where it is their responsibility, and help to promote local trade and tourism. I certainly do not need the coverage of a bunch of political motivated trouble makers giving me their edited version of events.
ReplyDeleteTom, a bit of a mixed message here, you seem to be saying having watched the film showing your money being wasted, you then resent the film, which you didn’t contribute to financing being made. As you comment seems to be based on having seen the film and it seems you are saying it shouldn’t have been made can you clarify what it is you mean.
ReplyDeleteNot sure I implied any kind of attitude towards the actually film itself, but simply the utter waste of councillors time, and thus our money, it revealed showing them debating wether or not the film should be made. I really do not care whether they film meetings or not, not really being a subscriber to conspiracy theories behind closed doors, but I do care passionately about them getting on with their job of supporting and providing services to our locality.
ReplyDeleteOn a purely personal view, I think I would like to see more responsible councillors getting on with the job they are elected to do and I do not think that end is served either by attention seeking wagon jumpers or some local mischief making group, well known to us in Broadstairs for their antics.
Michael, always happy to debate with you, but please do not assume to know what makes me tick. Even I do not know that.
Tom I guess I wouldn’t write the blog if I wasn’t interested in what makes people tick, hence I wondered about the paradox.
ReplyDeleteI don’t think the change in local politics that you and I would like to see, i.e. councillors getting on with the job, will come about from the actions of people who sit in the middle of the political spectrum.
My take is that change is urgent and that historically the catalyst for political change has always come from those seen as a bunch of politically motivate troublemakers.
Not sure I agree with you, Michael. For years the vociferous extremists on the left, the trouble makers like Hatton and Scargill, made Labour unelectable. It was a middle of the spectrum politician, Tony Blair, who changed all that giving Labour their longest term in office in the process. Another moderate who changed our modern world was Gorbachev, whilst the troublemakers like Hitler and Pol Pot have given us nothing but death and disaster.
DeleteGive me a decent, decicated middle of the road type everytime over the rabble rousers.
Well said Peter. My favourite bit of the video were several: £80k lawyer Harvey struggling to explain of the BCC was accredkited or not, Campbell calling for censorship but not for accredited organisations which might or might notbe the Gazette and BBC - and then most of the councillors abstaining. Utter idiots desperate not to be held to account through secrecy and waffle. Vote them out and sack a few civil servants.
ReplyDeleteThanet Watch May issue out today in newsagents and Michael's bookshop too!
ReplyDeleteChristine Tongue
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteWhy have the owners of the Thanet Watch pamphlet chosen to cynically line thier pockets at a time of great hardship for those worst off, by raising their price by 33%?
DeleteInterestingly, Parliament is filmed, and broadcast, and i believe that complete video is pretty much available, almost nobody watches. It is certainly not allowed or acceptable to have a 3rd party, 5th rate hack take what video they choose, and edit it in a way to support or prove thier particular agenda.
ReplyDeleteDo I care whether council meetings are filmed, nope, if i want a good laugh I will go there and watch. Is it worth the £1000's to stream live footage of TDC meetings nobody will watch, course not, I would rather they swept the streets a little more often.
Haqppy to show the full film of the discussion to anyone interested. No-one who was there has argued I that the film distorts what happened.
ReplyDeleteChristine Tongue
Thanet Watch