2018-12-11 Services & Organisation Committee Agenda

SERVICES & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                               11 DECEMBER 2018


REPORT
1.    Introduction

At its meeting on 20 September 2018, Council passed the following resolution.
“That Council:
A.    Agree to consider options to digitally video and/or voice record, live web stream, and/or
      archive online all formal Committee and Council meetings (including meetings of the
      Planning and Environment Committee, Services and Organisation Committee, General
      Committee, Ordinary Meetings and Special Meetings of Council) and make the live streaming
      and recordings available to the public;
B.    Request the CEO to investigate and recommend the most cost-effective methodologies for
      recording, live web streaming, and/or archiving of all formal Committee and Council
      meetings; and to report to Council on this issue including mechanisms to address Council
      meetings held offsite twice per year;
C.    Note that recordings of meetings or portions of meetings closed to the public pursuant to
      Section 275 of the Local Government Regulation 2012 will not be made available to the
      public; and
D.    Request the CEO to provide his report to Council within 3 months.”


This report is being provided to Council in response to that resolution.


2.    Recording, live web stream and/or archiving of formal Council and Committee
      meetings

As requested by Council, research has been undertaken into options available for our Council to
consider. This has included contacting a range of Councils across Australia who already provide
live video streaming of their meetings.

In Queensland, a number of Councils already undertake live video streaming of their meetings
using a variety of approaches including:-
    Redland Shire Council – this Council advised that one of the reasons they introduced live
      video streaming of their meetings was because they have a number of island communities
      who cannot easily access Council meetings on the mainland. Further, following a request
      for additional information, they have advised that their average number of views is
      approximately 105 per week based on their 2018 statistics to date. (Redland Shire has a
      population of 154,000).
    Central Highlands Regional Council – this Council advised that the dispersed nature of their
      communities across a number of different towns was the main reason for them to introduce
      live video streaming of their meetings. Further, following a request for additional information,
      they have advised that their average number of views is approximately 100 per round of
      meetings based on their Ordinary Council meeting and four Committees (approx. 25 views
      per meeting). (Central Highlands Shire has a population of 28,000).
    Gold Coast City Council – this Council uses an independent contractor to provide their live
      video streaming service. It includes a split screen format that enables the agenda to be
      shown at the same time as live coverage of the meeting. This is a multi-camera system with
      the ability to move and zoom cameras.




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