Crawley council meetings could soon be webcast to public

Crawley is currently the only one of the seven district and borough councils in West Sussex which offers neither a webcast nor an audiocast to give residents the chance to join the meetings.

But, thanks to a decision made by the full council on Wednesday (March 29), that should soon change.

Peter Lamb (Lab, Northgate & West Green) said webcasting would give residents the chance to ‘check up on councillors and see what we’re doing in their names’.

Conservative leader Duncan Crow said he was looking forward to the meetings being webcast, adding: “I think it will have an impact on behaviour.

“It will be a benefit to this town if [people] are able to see what goes on at these meetings.”

Webcasting may certainly lead to a raised eyebrow or two among interested members of the public.

While Crawley meetings may usually be a little more restrained than those webcast from other councils in the south of the county, they have been known for some stand-up rows and bellowed differences of opinion.

The camera equipment is already being fitted in the new town hall and the initial aim is to store the recordings of the meetings for at least six months.

Other councils, such as Chichester District Council, keep them for a year or more.

It is hoped that the webcasting system will be up and running in time for the Annual Council meeting on Friday May 26.