Interest grows in streamed council meetings

THE number of people live streaming City of Greater Geelong council meetings and viewing archived footage is nearing the 2,000 mark, with 1,843 views between the end of October 2018 to the end of April this year.

During that period, an average of 49 people attended council meetings, while more than 170 people were watching proceedings live online.

The council has noted the number of views per month and significant uptake of the service, which has improved community members’ access to council decision making.

Livestreaming council meetings and publishing the recordings each month started in July 2018 after the Citizens’ Jury recommended in 2017 that the City of Greater Geelong broadcast council meetings through multiple media platforms, saying the practice would provide unedited data and information to the wider community in an open and transparent public forum as well as a platform for the public to refer back to, fostering a sense of involvement, and would also hold councillors to account to the Code of Conduct.

“It’s great to see so many people getting involved in council proceedings from the comfort of their homes,” acting Geelong mayor Peter Murrihy said.

Council is not only committed to being transparent, but to encouraging a wider range of people to be involved in local government processes.”

Chair of the city’s strategy and communications portfolio Cr Stephanie Asher said nearly 2,000 people who may never have been exposed to council meetings before, had live streamed the council’s meetings and “witnessed democracy in action”.

“I believe the live streaming and archiving of recorded meetings is money well spent and has improved public access to council decision making.”