A LIVELY debate is expected tonight between two senior councillors over a proposal for Swindon Council meetings to be filmed and broadcast live online in a bid to boost public engagement in the authority’s decisions.

Officers worked up a feasibility study into webcasting meetings following a campaign by Coun Mark Dempsey, the deputy Labour group leader, who is also Labour’s prospective Parliamentary candidate for Swindon North.

The outcome, discussed at Cabinet in March, says the cost of webcasting with the market-leading solution, used by 70 other councils, would be more than £1,000 per meeting.

Full council will have the chance to consider the issue tonight.

The report also sets out other cheaper options, including: councillors or a volunteer resident recording meetings on their own devices and uploading footage to a free public hosting service; the council buying portable digital cameras, operated by staff members, and uploading the video; or streaming the audio only on Swindon 105.5.

The issue falls under the portfolio of Coun Dale Heenan, cabinet member for strategic planning and sustainability, who believes that webcasting council meetings could not be financially justified given the likely viewing figures.

He is instead encouraging councillors to use Twitter and other social media during meetings.

Coun Dempsey said: “It is time this council stepped into the 21st century and opened up its meetings to the public.

“The Cabinet report shows that webcasting can be delivered very effectively for a very modest or even zero cost.

“For example, Swindon Viewpoint (a public access television service) has offered to webcast meetings for less than £3,000.

“This is a cheap and easy option and completely disproves those Tory councillors that are opposed to webcasting on the basis that it would cost £40,000.

“Webcasting meetings would open up our meetings to the public.

“It would mean that more people would know what is happening to their town; and it would also hold politicians to account.

“The idea to replace webcasting with Twitter is ridiculous – people want to see what is happening for themselves.

“If they continue to oppose this simple measure to provide an open and accountable council, many people will wonder what their real reasons are – what have they got to hide?”

Coun Heenan said last month: “People would rather watch EastEnders or Coronation Street than watch a council meeting.

“I don’t think it will improve community engagement in any way. It’s a late 1990s idea that it will contribute in any way.

“It’s a real shame that, given the priorities and issues facing the borough, this is no more than a distraction and I cannot justify why the council should spend £90,000 over a few years.

“Many councillors already Tweet during the course of the meeting to the people who follow them on Twitter “And we reach a far wider audience that you would if the meeting was recorded.”