Opinion editorial
A couple weeks ago, I attended the April Full Council meeting and for the first time, was sat in the chamber at the Press table, taking notes of proceedings.
Usually when VB does live coverage of the meetings, I’m the one back at the office, feeding the updates from Simon onto VentnorBlog so that readers can follow the coverage from the comfort of their homes.
Although we’ve already published a couple of stories that came up at the meeting (tributes to Ivan Bulwer and Academies Tax), I thought you might find it interesting (or not) to share my opinion of how the meetings run, for those who’ve never experienced one before.
Quite an eye-opener
Sitting in the chamber – observing the body language of councillors; the mutterings amongst themselves when others were talking; and responses to public questioning – was quite an eye-opener. Not to mention the hamster-like noises coming from one councillor who had an attack of the sneezes.
The meeting took place during the school holidays which meant, not surprisingly, that a number of councillors were absent (around 12 I think), so the banter was probably a lot less than usual. Even so, I was surprised at the responses from some council Members to questions asked, a little patronising and unnecessary in tone.
What’s the chamber like?
If you’ve never been to a full council meeting at County Hall before, the chamber itself is a large double-height room which looks pretty much like a court room.
There’s a raised, main table (seating the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Leader and two directors) at the end of the room with other tables (seating councillors) surrounding it in a semi-circle at floor level.
The public gallery is at the back of the chamber up on a mezzanine floor, so in order to hear those speaking in the chamber or the public gallery, a PA system is used. Well, I say used, but in the loosest sense of the word.
PA system struggling to keep up
The system is clearly old and struggling to work in the 21st century.
When in use, if it wasn’t shrieking at an uncomfortably high pitch (sending any nearby animals running for the hills), it was annoyingly buzzing or just not working.
The councillors seemed as fed up with it as the public and press were.
Luckily for us, many of the councillors are able to project their voices well (too well in some cases, ahem), but that doesn’t go for everyone. In my opinion, a few of them could certainly do with some theatrical training so as to help overcome their mumbling presentations.
Even though we recorded the meeting, even after listening back to some responses several times, the last few words of many sentences are nothing but a mumbling mess.
Sweet corner
One advantage of sitting in the chamber rather than the public gallery, is that you get to cosy up with colleagues from other publications.
Members of the media are given a table in the corner of the chamber table to observe from and I was made most welcome by Charlotte and Martin from the County Press.
In fact, so welcome was I made to feel, that I was even offered honorary sugary refreshments from the CP team. This sort of forward planning certainly comes in useful during the mammoth sessions, such as the six hour meeting when councillors voted through the school reorganisation, school by school.
Less welcome by the comms team
Members of the Communications Media and Web Content team were sat nearby, but not a nod or smile of acknowledgement was forthcoming.
Spoilsports.
According to a letter from chief executive of the council, Steve Beynon (does he really not have more important things to do than write to VB about things like this?), he doesn’t like junior members of staff being named on VB, so on this occasion, I shan’t mention any names.
Onwards and upwards
The meetings always start with prayers (some Members prefer to sit outside the chamber during this time), followed by public question time, which allows members of the public 15 minutes to pose questions to the council.
If you submit your question in writing before the meeting (usually by the Friday before the meeting), you should be rewarded with a considered and informed response at the meeting.
However, if you ask your question on the day, you may be met with the stock, “we’ll send you a written response”, reply.
Why not experience it yourself?
If you care about decisions the council are making on your behalf, why not take one evening out a month and pop along to the full council meeting?
They normally last a couple of hours, depending on the length of the agenda and items being discussed.
The next full council meeting takes place at County Hall on 18th May at 6pm.
