Oakham Town Council Filming Issues

Oakham Town Council Filming Issues


Dear All

Allison the assistant clerk wrote to me asking why I filmed my visits to the office?

If I am still subject to a formal complaint it is inappropriate for her to be writing to me.

I will point out to all members I am not breaking the law when filming for my own protection.
Since our chairman Cllr Adam Lowe has sent me notification of a false allegation.

The Victoria Hall, the council office and chamber are public places.

The Council nor the police have any powers to prevent anyone from filming in a public places
The public order act of 1936 and in which the criminal justice act 1972 states:

33. extension of definition of public place in the public order act 1936
"public place" for the definition of public place in section (9) 1 of the M1 Public order act 1936
there shall be substituted, Public place includes highways or any premises or public place to
which at the material time the public have or permitted to have access, whether on payment
or otherwise.


Filming at meetings

Can I suggest Oakham Town Council review its standing orders regarding recording of meetings
The council has attempted for some time to unlawfully control what happens to the recordings
I make.

The openess of local government bodies regulation act 2014

The main mistake in the councils standing order, it attempts to control what happens
with a recording, The act states Standing orders can not control what happens to a recording
so it is incorrect for OTC to state the film owner can not edit there recordings.

Also there is no legal requirement for the person filming to seek consent from the council or anyone
present because it is a public meeting. The person filming is also not obliged to abide by there wishes
or desires not to be recorded, so when I am constantly asked not to zoom in on Cllrs or more
recently I have been asked not to record some members, these request are wrong. The
request not to film members of the public is also wrong.

This is why i don't object to the Mayor just filming me. Although I do make comments that he is
silly when he shove his ipad in my face and follows me.

From

Martin Brookes