Online streaming of CAF meetings 'on the wish list' for South Tyneside

It comes after at the latest Riverside Community Area Forum (CAF) a member of the public asked for videos to be made available of such meetings so residents can view them when they are not able to attend.

Councillor Ann Best, South Tyneside Council’s member champion for democracy, said it is something which she supports coming forward, subject to the impact on resources.

Speaking at Tuesday’s (May 31) meeting, she said: “It is certainly something that in my role as democracy champion that I put forward last year and it remains on the wish list.

“I’m very aware there are cost implications and resource implications so obviously they would need to be taken into consideration.

“Particularly with the CAFs, because this is the public interface committee, I would be very keen to support that if it’s feasible and we have the resources to do it.”

South Tyneside Council currently has five CAFs which are public forums held in-person and attended by councillors and residents involving discussions on crime and housing, as well as presentations from local groups and decisions on funding.

Wider proposals to explore the live streaming and recording of more council meetings in South Tyneside was previously backed by borough councillors in summer 2022.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, South Tyneside Council held a number of public council meetings online including its cabinet meetings, scrutiny committees and Community Area Forums.

However when national government regulations which allowed digital council meetings expired in May 2021, the council reverted back to recording and live streaming its in-person full council meetings only.