Tweeting, blogging and filming in Council meetings

The request was partially successful.

Aled Griffiths

Dear Torfaen Council,

Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, please provide copies of
all:
A) standing orders
B) policies
C) discussions (emails / memos)

relating to the following:

1) filming of council meetings
2) tweeting at council meetings
3) blogging of council meetings

In respect of this request, "council meeting" shall refer to
meetings of the full council, cabinet & committee meetings where
members of the public are permitted to attend. It shall not include
any meetings (or part of) where the public are not permitted to
attend (e.g. closed sessions.)

If answers to part of this request are already published in a
public place, please provide links to the location where they can
be accessed online by persons not residing within Torfaen Council.

If some parts of this request are easier to answer than others,
please provide the easiest parts first rather than hold up the
entire request.

I would prefer to receive your response in electronic format.

If you decide to withhold some of the information requested using
exemptions in the FOIA, please inform me which exemptions you have
used.

If you need clarification of any of the points in this request,
please contact me via email.

Yours faithfully,

Aled Griffiths

Your Call, Torfaen County Borough Council

I acknowledge receipt of your email, the contents of which have been forwarded to the relevant department/section and an officer will contact you directly.

If however, you have not received a response within a reasonable period of time please do not hesitate to contact us again.

Your feedback is important to us. Please spare a few minutes to complete the new online Customer Focus Satisfaction form at http://www.torfaen.gov.uk/Online%20Servi...

http://www.torfaen.gov.uk/CouncilAndDemo...

On behalf of

[email address]

show quoted sections

FOI, Torfaen County Borough Council

Dear Mr Griffiths,

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST

Thank you for your email dated 16/06/2011 requesting information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. I have logged your email and will deal with your request in order that we can respond to you within the statutory deadline of 20 working days.

I will contact you further as soon as relevant information is available.

This letter is available in large print, on audio cassette and in Braille and also in Welsh or any other Community Language. Please contact us for further details or if we can help in any way.

Yours sincerely

Caron Davies
Corporate Complaints Officer / Swyddog Cwynion Corfforaethol
Customer Services Division / Is-adran Gwasanaethau Cwsmeriaid
Torfaen County Borough Council / Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Torfaen
Tel / Ffôn 01495 742164
Fax / Ffacs 01495 766331
Email / Ebost [email address]

show quoted sections

Davies Caron, Torfaen County Borough Council

5 Attachments

Dear Mr Griffiths,

 

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST

 

Thank you for your email dated 16/06/2011 requesting information under the
Freedom of Information Act 2000.  I am now in a position to respond to
your questions as follows:

 

     Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, please provide copies of
all:

     A) standing orders

     B) policies

     C) discussions (emails / memos)

    

     relating to the following:

    

     1) filming of council meetings

     2) tweeting at council meetings

     3) blogging of council meetings

    

     In respect of this request, "council meeting" shall refer to meetings
of the full council, cabinet & committee meetings where members of the
public are permitted to attend. It shall not include any meetings (or part
of) where the public are not permitted to attend (e.g. closed sessions.)

    

     If answers to part of this request are already published in a public
place, please provide links to the location where they can be accessed
online by persons not residing within Torfaen Council.

    

     If some parts of this request are easier to answer than others,
please provide the easiest parts first rather than hold up the entire
request.

    

Standing orders on filming are in para 4.28.15 of the Torfaen County
Borough Council constitution.

 

[1]http://www.torfaen.gov.uk/CouncilAndDemo...

 

Photographs and tape recording at meetings

4.28.16 Proceedings at meetings may not be photographed, videoed, tape
recorded or transmitted in any way outside the meeting room without the
prior permission of the

Mayor or Chief Executive.

 

One officer did a verbal report to council on 3 march 2009 - in response
to a motion from one of our councillors (not directly about filming
meetings but linked). There was no written report so the only record is
the minutes. The minutes are attached if they help (see section 21.1). 
There was a debate more on the issue of filming meetings on 31 March 2009
- the minutes of that are attached too (see section 18.1). On 14 May 2009
a petition was received (see section 6 of the minutes attached).

 

We also have two emails regarding correspondence attached.

 

Information supplied in response to any Freedom of Information Act request
may be subject to copyright. A single copy of information supplied under
the Freedom of Information Act may only be used for personal,
non-commercial research or study, unless stated otherwise. It must not be
passed to others, copied or re-published in whole or in part without
permission from the copyright holder. Any copyright statement that forms
part of or in any way refers to the information provided must not be
altered or removed.  

 

If you have any queries about this letter or are unhappy about the service
you have received in relation to your request and wish to make a complaint
or request a review, please do not hesitate to contact me in writing.

 

If you are not content with the outcome of your complaint, you may apply
directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. Generally, the
Information Commissioner’s Office (Wales) cannot make a decision unless
you have exhausted the complaints procedure provided by this Council. The
Information Commissioner can be contacted at: The Information
Commissioner’s Office (Wales), Cambrian Buildings, Mount Stuart Square,
Cardiff, CF10 5FL.  Telephone 029 2044 8044 or Fax 029 2044 8045 or e-mail
[2][email address].

 

This letter is available in large print, on audio cassette and in Braille
and also in Welsh or any other Community Language. Please contact us for
further details or if we can help in any way.

 

Yours sincerely

 

Caron Davies

Corporate Complaints Officer / Swyddog Cwynion Corfforaethol

Customer Services Division / Is-adran Gwasanaethau Cwsmeriaid

Torfaen County Borough Council / Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Torfaen

Tel / Ffôn 01495 742164

Fax / Ffacs 01495 766331

Email / Ebost  [3][email address]

 

 

 

 

show quoted sections

References

Visible links
1. http://www.torfaen.gov.uk/CouncilAndDemo...
2. mailto:[email address]
3. mailto:[email address]