View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. Media Law
August 6, 2014

‘Right to report’: New regulations passed allowing journalists to film, report and tweet at council meetings

By PA Media Lawyer

New regulations giving journalists and the public new rights to report on local council meetings come into force today.

The move comes after Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles (pictured, Reuters) signed a Statutory Instrument – the Openness of Local Government Regulations 2014, (SI No 2095 of 2014) – which allows the press and public to film, digitally report, and tweet from all public meetings of local government bodies.

This "right to report" updates the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960, which was pushed through Parliament by Margaret Thatcher, who was at that time a backbench MP, and gave the press the right to report on meetings.

The new regulations – which apply only in England – are intended to end the resistance in some authorities to greater openness and the use of new technology to report on and film or broadcast council meetings.

Some councils have called police to arrest people who tried to report, tweet or film their meetings, or have claimed the power to ban reporting on "health and safety" grounds or because of the danger that it would bring "reputational risks".

The new rules will apply to all public meetings, including town and parish councils and fire and rescue authorities.

Pickles, said: "Half a century ago, Margaret Thatcher championed a new law to allow the press to make written reports of council meetings. We have updated her analogue law for a digital age.

Content from our partners
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it
Impress: Regulation, arbitration and complaints resolution

"Local democracy needs local journalists and bloggers to report and scrutinise the work of their council, and increasingly, people read their news via digital media.

"The new 'right to report' goes hand in hand with our work to stop unfair state competition from municipal newspapers – together defending the independent free press.

"There is now no excuse for any council not to allow these new rights.

"Parliament has changed the law, to allow a robust and healthy local democracy. This will change the way people see local government, and allow them to view close up the good work that councillors do."

Topics in this article :

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network