WHITCHURCH Town Council has decided against digital recordings of the confidential section of meetings.

The council currently hold digital recordings of the regular public session of meetings, but the recording is turned off after the press and public are excluded.

At February's full council meeting, held on Thursday, February 20, Councillor Andy Hall put forward the proposal.

"The reason for this is I felt over the last few months the Nolan principles seem to go out the window when the press and the public go out the room," said Cllr Hall.

"There have been personal attacks on councillors from all directions.

"It would make people accountable for what they say and how they behave and that’s where I’m going to leave it."

Cllr Ruth Shepard meanwhile disagreed with the need to record confidential.

She said: "I would like legal and NALC (National Association of Local Councils) clarity on items discussed in confidential. I don’t see the need for this at all.

Cllr John Martin was particularly unhappy with the proposal, calling it a 'waste of time'.

"A number of accusations have been made without evidence," said Cllr Martin.

"Someone said I made a personal attack during a personal meeting and it simply isn’t true.

"Waste of time, yet more work and actually a mask for something else, and I believe there is another issue that is not for me to say."

Cllr Simon Hamlyn was also against the proposal, saying: "If something in confidential is recorded, it is no longer confidential."

But Cllr Hall did have some allies to his proposals, with Cllr Alan Chesters going down the route of saying councillors should have nothing to fear.

"I’ve heard it all, what are people worried about," said Cllr Chesters. "To say there’s a conspiracy – I don’t mind what I say frankly."

Cllr John Sinnott held the view that the confidential business was no secret in any case, and the use of the word was misleading.

"They’re actually technically not secret," said Cllr Sinnott. "It’s in confidence, not in secret.

"It’s not related to being in secret. It’s misuse of the word."

Council clerk Nicola Young said she had sought advice on the issue.

"I’ve been in touch with [HR firm] Ellis Whittam, NALC and the Information Commissioners Office," she said.

"Council can record confidential meetings but then would have to comply with GDPR and an FOI request would have to made."

Finally, Cllr Hall added: "This is no conspiracy. The whole gist behind my motion was simple to address the fact that behaviour should be a lot better than it is."

The motion was rejected by councillors.