This memorandum by the CEO on roving Council meetings isn’t about that at all. It’s about webcasting.

Nearly two years ago, this Council resolved to work toward streaming Committee and Council proceedings via the Internet. A motion was passed to have Webcasting implemented by the end of last October but the Lord Mayor’s team ran a recession motion.

Out of that recession motion came the idea to move some Council meetings out of the Chamber and into the community.

I note that the memorandum talks about how this won’t be possible and it notes that people might miss Council meetings and talks about accessibility issues.

The exact reasons used to argue for Webcasting.

Here’s the reality. Meetings of Committees and Council are difficult for the public to attend. There is limited public seating, times are often not suitable, access is not easy and people may have an interest on one or two items and are not prepared to invest up to five or six hours of their time waiting for “their” item to come up.

We live in an information based society and the public has a right to be informed about the procedures, debate and decisions of Council, both during and after meetings. There is no record of discussions in this Chamber.

This Council has a stated aim to be “Global and Connected” but it’s an embarrassment that we can’t do what teenagers can do in their bedroom, that is organise a Webcast.

But I understand Lord Mayor that you prefer to do your thing in closed Chambers and that you are afraid for you and your team to be on candid camera.

With the poor performances of your team, I’d be a little scared too but never chicken. I’m calling you and your team out on this one Lord Mayor: When it comes to Webcasting, you are a bunch of cowards.