WOULD you like to see your local councillors debating on YouTube or listen to a live radio broadcast from the council chamber?

The subject came under the spotlight at a meeting in Tavistock last week.

The Government is currently consulting on the Local Audit and Accountability Act which concerns the openness of local government.

Comment is being invited from the National Association of Local Councils on the draft Openness of Local Government Bodies Regulations 2014, which covers filming and the use of social media at council meetings and the recording of decisions taken by officers under delegated powers.

At last Tuesday's meeting of Tavistock Town Council's finance and general purposes committee, chairman Anne Johnson asked if councillors would be happy to appear on YouTube.

'It is the way things are moving,' said town mayor Harry Smith.

'I think it is going to happen anyway. You can go online and listen to the debates and at Totnes Town Council meetings they have a radio broadcast of the meetings whilst in progress.

'It might encourage members of the public to come along to our meetings if they know the debate is going to be broadcast live.'

Cllr Mandy Govier said she did not think people would be that bothered given the lack of public currently attending the council meetings, which were all public anyway.

l Would you like to hear live broadcasts of council debates or watch councillors debating local issues on YouTube?

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