TEST Valley civic chiefs have agreed to audio record council meetings after a Liberal Democrat amendment.

It means that members of the public will be able to follow the meetings live on the council website.

A report was presented to the Test Valley Borough Council, with recommendations to not filly broadcast meetings for at least two years due to financial constraints. 

Many local authorities, including Hampshire County Council and Winchester City Council, broadcast their meetings on Youtube. 

Cllr Sandra Gidley, a Lib Dem, proposed the motion in 2022. Speaking at the meeting on February 29, she said: “I am disappointed that it has taken so long to come to this conclusion. I felt at the time that the topic had been kicked into the long grass and this motion seeks to do that again. 

“I am also very disappointed that an earlier meeting of the member and community development group proposed installing a scheme in two venues. A number of people were absent from that meeting, including the leader of the council, so another meeting was called and the outcome changed. That is not the way I like to operate.

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"It was also disappointing that some focussed on the cost per meeting – but what price can you put on democracy? When I originally proposed the motion it was post Covid and many people didn’t want to sit in crowded rooms. Some still don’t but there are some significant matters of public interest at the moment such as the local plan and some controversial planning applications.”

Cllr Nik Daas, a Lib Dem, proposed an amendment: that the council should install an audio only solution in all four current meeting venues. 

Cllr Das said: "I am very pleased that my amendment to share the audio from all council meetings was passed and that residents finally have transparency from their council and can now hold their elected officials to account and engage in the democratic process more easily. The administration's reluctance to join the majority of councils across the country in streaming meetings online was disappointing - I am pleased that my amendment made them reconsider their initial judgement and will now enable increased engagement for the people of Test Valley."

Council meetings are usually held in Conference Room 1, Beech Hurst; The Guildhall, Andover; and in the main hall and annexe of Crosfield Hall, Romsey.

It's estimated that the meetings will be recorded from May.