Philip John

Blogger arrested for filming council meeting

As if it wasn’t bad enough that the Police arrest hobbyists for taking photos of public events they’re now arresting bloggers for filming council meetings.

While my request to film council meetings in Lichfield was met with no resistance it seems some councillors seem to be living in an entirely different reality.

I’ll be writing to my MP to ask him for a statement from Eric Pickles about the incident following Pickles’ advice to local government to allow local bloggers to film council meetings.

Update: it turns out that the guidance given to councils by Erick Pickles means absolutely jack shit in Wales, which I find hilarious and infuriating at the same time.

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Comments

3 responses to “Blogger arrested for filming council meeting”

  1. thoades Avatar
    thoades

    And we thought restrictions placed by the new rulling party in North Lincolnshire on public access to council meetings was bad, this just takes the biscuit.

    http://www.visitscunthorpe.com/ScunthorpeNews/Headline/Council-Changes-Undermine-Democracy

    So much for transparency in local government

    Reply
  2. Lorraine Moss Avatar
    Lorraine Moss

    I come from Havering in Essex, council meetings can be viewed via web cast.

    I thought that all Councils were supposed to be having a more open approach.

    Reply
  3. Desi Avatar
    Desi

    Council meetings are not private places. They are open to the public and there is no law against filming them. The police should have known that and left without arresting anyone. This is a case of police misconduct in addition to council misconduct.

    Reply

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