HARTLEPOOL COUNCIL PRESS RELEASE
Council Meetings for August
HARTLEPOOL Council has announced its meetings schedule for August and is encouraging members of the public to hear the discussions and see how decisions are made.
Under the arrangements for meetings, members of the public can now ask questions at the Council's five main policy committees and policy chairs also attend neighbourhood forum meetings to face questions from the public.
Members of the public are also able to ask two questions now at Full Council meetings although they have to give advance notice for these meetings.
All meetings for August will take place in the Civic Centre unless otherwise stated. They are:
Tuesday 5 August
10.00am Emergency Planning Joint Committee (held at the Emergency Planning Unit, Aurora Court, Barton Court, Riverside Park, Middlesbrough
TS2 1RY)
Wednesday 6 August
10.00am Planning Committee
Thursday 7 August
10.00am Audit and Governance Committee
7.00pm Full Council
Monday 11 August
2.00pm Health and Wellbeing Board
Tuesday 12 August
10.00am Adult Services Committee
4.00pm Children's Services Committee
Thursday 14 August
9.30am Regeneration Services Committee
Monday 18 August
9.30am Finance and Policy Committee
Tuesday 19 August
9.30am Neighbourhood Services Committee
Thursday 21 August
10.00am Audit and Governance Committee
2.00pm Neighbourhood Services Committee
Members of the public are welcome to attend meetings. However, under the Local Government Act 1972 relating to confidential and exempt information, the public may be asked to leave the meeting on some occasions.
Additional meetings may be arranged, details of which will be displayed at the Civic Centre and www.hartlepool.gov.uk. Anyone intending to attend a meeting is advised to check that the date, time and venue have not changed by telephoning telephone 01429 523568.
For more information about how the Council works and how to get involved, a free booklet is available from all main Council buildings including libraries. It can also be downloaded by visiting www.hartlepool.gov.uk/democraticservices
Press release PR16513 23 July 2014.
Issued by Alastair Rae, Public Relations Manager, on 01429 523510.
http://www.thanetgazette.co.uk/Thanet-council-forced-allow-public-film-meetings/story-21852792-detail/story.html#3tw6zFBYMSIiSroG.01
I hope the council will also do the right thing and record the proceedings from now on, given the change in the law. That would help Alistair Rae to achieve his press release goal?
Eric Pickles gave the nod to the filming of council meetings some months ago and issued guidelines covering such filming. In fairness, the tone of these guidelines was that council's would have to come up with a bloody good reason before they objected. Needless to say HBC did its best - notice had to be given, the Chairman had to announce that it was happening and individual councillors could then object to being filmed etc.
Middlesbrough Council came up with similar obstacles until they eventually threw the towel in completely recently and decided to film their own meetings.
Good, as they are paid, I believe it is in the public interest that they should install a camera and just record, to save volunteers from the Hartlepool Post or somewhere else having to do it on top of their own other commitments.
We would then at least really start to see they are getting paid to do some work and the treatment of the public just might improve!?