LOCAL Council meetings could soon be streamed live online, allowing the public to keep closer tabs on what their councillors are up to. However the Council has claimed it would cost up to £1,000 per hour to do so. 

Aside from the increasing number of issues that are being discussed confidentially in recent times, all Council meetings are required to be fully open to the public, to ensure transparency and protect democracy. Unsurprisingly though, very few members of the public actually attend meetings. 

For the past couple of years all Fermanagh and Omagh Council meetings have been audio recorded, with the recordings uploaded online several days later. Now the local Council is considering following the example of Belfast City Council and Derry and Strabane Council by live recording their meetings and streaming them online. 

A report that was due to be presented to the Council’s policy and resources committee meeting last week recommended the idea of live streaming meetings be explored. 

“Whilst the Council  already audio records Council and committee meetings, in the interest of greater transparency in its business and engagement with the public, it wishes to look at the potential for introducing visual recordings of meetings,” said the report. 

The service would come at a large cost, however. The report stated there were a number of different options the Council could explore, such as buying the equipment needed or leasing it. 

It is estimated the cost could be in the region of £600-£1,000 per hour “depending on contractual approach and length of contract.” 

The report then stated the issue over cost should be discussed by councillors confidentially. 

“Indicative costs for options to purchase or lease are included on Minutepad under confidential information, as aspects of this information provided is commercially sensitive,” it stated.